If you think Tyson Fury's dad has a murky past, wait to hear what the boxing legend's paternal uncle has been up to.
Peter Fury, brother to John Fury, is credited with masterminding his nephew Tyson's 2015 world title triumph over Wladimir Klitschko. Still, things have soured between Peter and the rest of the Fury clan.
Way before Tyson rose to fame as one of Britain's finest sporting exports, his uncle Peter was a notorious figure in the criminal underworld long and spent years in and out of prison.
Peter was once a baby-faced kingpin who controlled a significant drug operation in the North West of England. His criminal activities included leading a gang that smuggled amphetamines from Belgium, which were then distributed across cities.
Peter, Tyson and John Fury in happier times, before the bitter feud (AFP via Getty Images)In an interview with BoxingScene, Peter reflected on his younger days: "I was wild when I was younger. I'd see someone with a nice pair of trainers on and want to have a fight with them. Then anyone who wanted protection would come to me because I was seen as a tough young fella. One thing led to another. I went from looking after people to looking after other areas to looking after cities."
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Like the rest of the Fury family, Peter is incredibly proud of his traveller heritage. Despite owning expensive cars and other luxuries, he remained living in caravans, enjoying the lavish lifestyle his criminal activity gifted him. However, the law caught up with Peter when he was nabbed collecting a backpack filled with 10kg of speed in 1994.
Defiantly denying his guilt, he attempted to deceive the courts by claiming that his wealth was sourced from boxing, engaging in bare-knuckle bouts, and flogging second-hand cars. Nevertheless, despite his claims of innocence, he got slapped with a 10-year sentence for possessing amphetamine with the intent to supply after evidence surfaced of his involvement in shady transactions using bank accounts stretched across America, Spain and Ireland.
He continued to operate his empire from behind bars. Consequently, he found himself in prison in 2008 on money laundering charges while also being ordered to cough up almost £1 million in assets. Reflecting on the case, Alun Milford, then head of the CPS Organised Crime Division, asserted: "It is clear from his realisable assets that Fury has enjoyed an extremely comfortable lifestyle and we will work vigorously to ensure he pays the court's order."
Harrowingly detailing his prison experience to BoxingScene, Peter recalled: "You're on a knife edge. They soon get to know if you can fight and stand up for yourself. If you are weak in prison then you get quickly found out. I was regarded as dangerous, so I was locked up with IRA members and lifers.
"It was like being in the dark for 24 hours a day. You can get beaten up in prison, you can get stabbed, but you can get all that on the streets as well. I'd dealt with that growing up. You sweat blood and tears in those cells. All those people who stick their chests out and say jail is easy are lying because there is nothing worse than being away from your family. Someone could put a million quid into a bank and ask me if I'd do my time over again for it I wouldn't."
He proceeded to add: "You're in hell on earth. That man sat next to you can easily put a knife through your neck because they're in for life and are in despair with nothing to lose. People have no idea what it's like. Going inside made me realise what life was about and what I was missing."
He eventually got his life back on the straight and narrow and became a revered figure in the sports world by training his nephew Tyson to clinch the title of world champion boxer. Reflecting on how his prison stints shaped his future, he once said: "You move on, learn from it, and it makes you a humble person. They say that some bad things can turn into good things. Unless you've had that experience, you don't realise how good life can be."
Peter, who trained his son Hughie and nephew Tyson from a young age, saw his efforts bear fruit when Tyson clinched the heavyweight championship in November 2015 by defeating Wladimir Klitschko. Tyson expressed his gratitude towards his uncle: "If it wasn't with Peter, I wouldn't be boxing. I wouldn't train with anyone else."
Tyson and Peter's broken relationship is 'irreparable', according to the boxer (Getty Images)However, Peter faced challenges due to his past, including being barred from entering the US for one of Tyson's fights two years prior to the championship victory. He also encountered issues entering New Zealand for his son's world title fight, although this decision was later overturned.
Sadly, it looks like Tyson and Peter's professional and personal relationship has deteriorated. In 2016, Tyson admitted to a fallout with uncle during training, confessing to having "a bit of a fall-out over the sparring". Tyson eventually cut ties with his uncle, instead choosing to work with novice trainer Ben Davison for his comeback in 2018.
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In his memoir, Behind The Mask, Tyson also confessed that he no longer has any ties with his previous promoter Mick Hennessy, having since joined forces with Frank Warren. "Back in 2014, I didn't know that the forthcoming fight with Wladimir Klitschko would be my last with Mick Hennessy as my manager and with my uncle, Peter Fury, as my trainer," he penned.
He expressed regret over the split, stating: "It's sad that the split had to happen because Mick, Peter and I had a very good bond at one point, but it was a decision that had to be taken." He added: "Nowadays, there is no relationship between me and Peter or with Mick. It's very sad, but with me, like most people I guess, once a relationship is broken it's very hard to fix it. It hit me hard when I realised I couldn't work with them again."
Speaking about his uncle, Tyson confessed: "As for Peter, it's heartbreaking how our relationship disintegrated because at one point in my life he was like a second father to me."
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