Tyson Fury reveals his mental health issues after drugs accustions led to ban from boxing
Former heavyweight champion was accused of testing positive for banned substance nandrolone in February 2015 but denies the charge
TYSON FURY was driven to suicidal thoughts by the suggestion he fulfilled his life-long dream of becoming heavyweight champion of the world by being a drugs cheat.
In 2015, Fury went to Wladimir Klitschko’s adopted Germany home, ended his 10-year reign as boxing king and overthrew he and brother Vitali as the sport’s royal family.
While Anthony Joshua’s power and courage is being praised after he too beat Klitschko, Fury’s was a performance of superior skill and flair and he left Dusseldorf unmarked.
But his world began to unravel almost instantly as the UK Anti-Doping claimed he tested positive for banned substance nandrolone in February 2015.
And, in an as his comeback begins, the 6ft 9in star admits the the leaked accusation caused him sparked the darkest of thoughts.
Fury said: "To be honest I didn't want to live.
“If I had cheated, fine. But I have not cheated. I beat Klitschko on ability, I don't need a drug.
“I'm a giant already. For them to say that about me, it sent me under.
“I did not want to live any more. But I feel differently now.”
most read in boxing
As early as 2011, in an , the fighter gave a rare glimpse at his mentally fragile side, revealing reoccurring suicide thoughts.
Even before his crowning night in Germany, the doping allegations and weight struggles, suicide was on the agenda after a troubling childhood outside the social norms.
He said: “There is a name for what I have where, one minute I'm happy, and the next minute I'm sad, like commit-suicide-sad. And for no reason – nothing's changed.
"I just live with them. I think I need a psychiatrist because I do believe I am mentally disturbed in some way.
“Maybe it was the fact that when I was a kid we didn't have a family life. My mother and father were always shouting and screaming and hitting each other.
“My dad had different women and different kids down the road.
"My mum had 14 pregnancies – but only four of us survived.
“We had a little sister born for a few days and she died. There had to be a funeral. That would affect you.
“My three brothers are the same as me. But with us everyone is a tough guy.”