We’ve heard of drastic weight cuts but this can’t be good for a fighter.
Tyson Fury has revealed the extreme weight loss that he puts himself through after indulging in between fight camps.
Fury, who meets Wladimir Klitschko in one of the most anticipated heavyweight title fights in years, told Sky Sports: “I don’t get mentally distracted in fights or in build-up to fights. When it comes to throwing punches in a ring, it’s something that I’m concrete with. My problem is outside of boxing, when I’m at home.
“The boxing man – easy. At home – guard’s down. Food. Drinks. Going out and enjoying everyday life. To be a successful high-performance athlete you have to control the home life as much as you control your training.
“For me, it’s easy to whack on three or four stone. I know that sounds a lot but I come back into camp at 23st and I have to get down to 18st. Peter [Fury] is not happy about that when I come back in so he puts me through mental and physical torture for six months.”
At 27, Fury can possibly get away with the repeated drastic weight-gain and weight-loss. However, the Manchester fighter acknowledges that it’s a recipe for disaster as he gets older.
“It’s taxing on the body and how long can I keep doing it, piling off weight? There comes a point when you get close to 30 and I feel worn out from it all, going up and down all the time.
“I’ve actually flicked a switch now where I’ve started to realise it’s just not worth it – no matter how good it tastes or how much I want to do it, there’s always another day.
“I live my life like there’s no tomorrow. If I have one biscuit, I’ve got to have the packetful. If I’m out having a beer, I can’t have one or two – I’ve got to have it until I can’t stand up any more. I’m all or nothing. In fights, you’ve seen it.”
