Heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury displayed fighting spirit from day one, when he was born prematurely, weighing just 1lb. Tiny Tyson defied the expectations of doctors, who believed that he had a very low chance of survival.
Tyson’s father, John Fury, revealed how his son bravely fought for his life when he was born three months prematurely in Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester in 1988.
Doctors warned his parents that he was too weak to survive, but the Fury family believed that he would pull through.
Tyson’s father, John, said: “I told them God was looking down on him.
“I said, ‘He’ll be alright. He will be 7ft, 20 stone and heavyweight champion of the world.’ And I named him Tyson, after Mike Tyson.”
Holding his baby boy in the hospital, John Fury could fit Tyson into the palm of his hand.
He said: “I remember he would be lying on his back and have his fists up high. When I think about where he has been and where he has got to, extraordinary things have happened.”
The care he received as a vulnerable baby paid off, and he quickly grew into the larger-than-life character that he is today.
Now, at 6 feet and 8 inches tall and weighing 257 pounds, Tyson Fury is celebrated as a two-time world heavyweight champion.
SPUC Comment
A SPUC spokesperson said: “Tyson’s story is an incredible example of how even the most tiny and weak life can thrive and succeed, when provided with the right love and care.
“As Tyson Fury has shown, they will not be tiny and weak for very long!”
Similar stories
“My little tough guy” Premature baby the same size as superman toy is thriving
Little miracles: Most babies born prematurely will “do very well” says expert