Gloves Off: Tyson Fury Autobiography

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I took a real man on who was willing to step up to the challenge," he added. "If they've got something to say about it, I'm standing here. While the title of "heavyweight boxing champion of the world" doesn't have quite the same luster today as it did in previous decades, it is still considered an honor to be part of that linear history. The current holder of the title, Tyson Fury, is the subject of this biography by Nigel Cawthorne.

But the best part? Tyson's honesty. He lays it all out there, from mental health struggles to the bizarre world of professional boxing. I felt like I was in the corner of the ring, cheering him on in his battles – and trust me, I'd be the guy with the foam finger, not the boxing gloves. All of that is here in his own words. What is left out are the contradictions of the man, the stories that change over time and any serious attempt to clear the air regarding accusations for the use of the substance Nandrolone. Which spurred his hiatus from the ring. His most famous victory came in 2015, when he stunned longtime champion Wladimir Klitschko. Fury won the WBA, IBF, IBO and WBO world heavyweight titles.This is not about Usyk or any other boxers. It's about me and him doing combat and there is no more to it. All these boxers, they had their chances over the last nine months to do a deal with me, they didn't so we've moved on and took a real man who is willing to challenge himself," Fury said. A truly great book. I always make how good an autobiography is if I feel I become a bigger fan of the person after I finished the book than I was when I started the book. In the case of this book, I was that was done by the time I finished the introduction.

Like all the greatest stories, though, there is redemption and Tyson defies all the odds and literally drags himself to his feet. 10 million people around the globe watched Fury fight Wilder in the biggest fight of the boxing calendar. Speaking candidly about his struggles with mental health, this is Tyson Fury as you have never seen him before. Tyson's book reveals surprising and personal new sides to his character: he opens up about his fairy-tale romance with beloved wife Paris, and their down-to-earth life raising six beautiful children. He describes how his Traveller upbringing forged him, and how his fighting family, including dad John and his brothers, have sustained him. So, I decided to dive into the world of Tyson Fury's autobiography, "Gloves Off." Now, let's be clear, I'm about as intimidating as a fluffy bunny, so I thought, "Why not get a taste of the boxing champion's life without actually taking any punches?" That is when I came across Tyson Fury's struggle with depression. You always expect people in the sports or entertainment field to be super secure about their lives and be happy. However, what we fail to understand is that no matter how rich or poor you are, how successful or unsuccessful you are, depression can hit you at any point in your life and is something which needs to be taken seriously. In a world, where people (especially men) are suppose to just brush things aside and move on with life, reading this heartfelt tale of depression from one of the best boxers in the world was very refreshing. The No-Holds-Barred Autobiography - including the full story behind Tyson's record-breaking victory against Dillian Whyte at Wembley stadium in front of 94,000 people

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I wish to thank Ad Lib Publishers for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Past few months for me were a little tough both from the personal and professional angle and I was feeling the brunt of the same. I wasn't sure whether what I was going through was a phase of melancholy or full fledged depression but whatever it was, I knew it was eating me alive and I needed to think of ways to move on from this feeling and be cheerful again. Behind the Mask is an unflinching autobiography from the greatest boxer of our time. A man who has demonstrated strength of a very different kind by conquering his demons. He showed not only his battles within the ring but outside of it too. Such honesty about Mental Health is desperately needed in todays world and hearing it from the heavy weight champion of the world is sure to help rid the stigma surrounding it. Especially the need to talk it about which Tyson echoes in his book. This empowerment is so influential and helpful for so many people old or young.

The book doesn't delve too deeply into any one topic, especially Tyson's personal life. After starting off with his win over Deonte Wilder to recapture the heavyweight title in February 2020, the reader will learn a little about Fury's upbringing, his rise in boxing in the British and Irish theatres and his eventual success in obtaining the title. Along the way, Fury had many ups and downs. Some of these were unforeseen circumstances, some of them were of his own making. These are not covered in depth throughout the book, simply captured in the text. Having little knowledge about Fury or his career, I was hoping for a deeper dive into his career and his life, but this was a decent introduction to the man. Readers who have followed his career closely or are passionate boxing fans of the current state of the sport will most likely know all of this information already. His story detailing his humble upbringings right from his birth was a welcome read, drawing me into the life of the Gypsy King. He moved from each part of his life beautifully and ensured everything flowed well.

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I love that he dedicates so much to his wife Paris and their marriage is to be admired as they’ve gone through a huge amount in a short space of time. It would have been nice to have had a bit more about them, but ultimately, it is a boxing book and it serves that purpose excellently - the preparation and training involved, his showmanship and self-belief and he breaks down his thought processes during his fights really well.