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Boxing

08th Jan 2019

Tommy Fury had to choose between modelling and fighting

Tyson Fury's younger brother doesn't regret his decision

Darragh Murphy

To look at them, you’d never guess that Tyson Fury and Tommy Fury are brothers.

Tyson Fury is significantly bigger, has been bald for several years and usually sports a thick beard, while his pale skin is more typical of people from Manchester.

Tommy Fury, however, boasts a thick head of hair and keeps his facial hair trimmed close to his striking jawline. He also happens to resemble a Mediterranean bodybuilder.

Having spent some time with the younger Fury brother before Christmas, I can confirm that he could absolutely make it as a male model so it is unsurprising to learn that that career option was open to the 19-year-old before he made his professional boxing debut on the undercard of Josh Warrington and Carl Frampton last month.

“It was always a straight choice for me, but looks don’t mean a thing at the end of the day because it doesn’t help you in boxing,” said Tommy Fury. “I’ve got a good physique, but that doesn’t help me in boxing.

“It was an option and I was on the path because I’ve always had people come up to me asking me to do modelling for as good a money as you can make in boxing.

“Yes I could sit there and make good money, but I would be asking myself at night if it was what I truly wanted to do. With the boxing I can sit comfortably at night thinking it is perfect and that I am happy with what I am doing.”

Fury, who has been working under the tutelage of Ricky Hatton, encountered little difficulty as he coasted to 1-0 as a professional against a durable veteran in Jevgenijs Andrejevs.

He might be disappointed that he didn’t get the finish but all that matters is that his career as a professional, which came after a very brief stint as an amateur, got off to a winning start.

His physique is always going to be mentioned because it is beyond impressive but as he points out himself, Fury is not here to show off his muscles.

Fury continued: “I was really big into weights and keeping strong and, obviously, you go to the gym and see improvements. I was improving, improving, improving and getting carried away.

“I was mixing it with the boxing and, with the sparring, the muscle was too heavy and it was no good. Don’t get me wrong, it is a great sport, but not what I want to do because I am a fighting man at the end of the day.

“I’m not here to be a bodybuilder, I don’t want to be a model, I am here to fight and win. That is what I will be doing.”

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Tommy Fury