‘Hell on Earth’ jail lives of Tyson Fury’s dad and uncle who’ve darkish pasts

“I live for this f***ing shit. I live for blood, guts and horror. Blood, guts and horror. Fury, Fury, Fury!”

These were the screaming ramblings of an incensed and bloody John Fury – moments after launching a headbutt yesterday.

‘Big John’ is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, supporting his son, Tyson Fury, who is fighting Oleksandr Usyk at the weekend in the first undisputed heavyweight title bout in 25 years.

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But in typical John Fury style, he stole the limelight by assaulting a member of Usyk’s entourage, before his famous son asked him: “What’s happened to your head you silly c***?”

And while his outburst may seem shocking, Fury Snr, born in Galway, Ireland, has always been as unpredictable as they come.

Who do you think will win when Tyson Fury faces Oleksandr Usyk? Let us know in the comments section below

Speaking to True Geordie about his past booze-ups, he once said: “Three or four brasses every night, three or four bottles of whiskey. If there was any drugs going I would have them and all. Anything goes.

“I woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, three brasses in the bed and I thought you know what, let’s go home to the kids I’ve had enough. That’s what I did, I would go home, the missus would batter me with a rolling pin for about 10 minutes and I would get on with it, I deserve it, back to work Monday morning. But then I used to go walkabouts again and that was John Fury. But I would always love and cherish my kids.”

Given the headbutt yesterday, you won’t be surprised to learn that John has a violent and criminal past. But so does his brother, Peter, who has also trained the ‘Gypsy King’ during his triumphant career.

John Fury

John’s chaotic life took a dark turn in 2011 when he gouged a man’s eye out during a fight at a car auction in what was a long-disputed grudge.

He was sentenced for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and was released in 2015 for good behaviour – but was unable to travel to America to see Tyson box because of his conviction.

Describing his time inside, he told the True Geordie pod: “I did my gym, enrolled on courses and I made use of my time. I wasn’t going to waste it on feeling sorry for myself, I thought I’m in here now I’m going to get in shape, educate myself and put my best foot forward.

“I had a desire to come out better. I came out sensible and wiser due to listening to experienced professional people. I learned how to integrate with people.”

John, also dad to Tommy Fury, described how alcohol led him to prison and he said he no longer drinks and rarely leaves his home.

And earlier this year he spoke exclusively to Daily Star Sport about the lonely nights in his cell where he overheard others hurl insults at him.

He told us: “When I was in prison, at 10 o’clock at night, I used to get called every name under the sun through the windows. But did I know who was saying it? No. There’s 1,500 men in a prison where the noise comes from.

“You can only guess, but would they say it to my face? No. I’ve been round some hard cookies in my life. We thought it was tough. Nobody’s ever insulted me to my face.

“They can say what they want behind my back because there’s miles and miles in front of people. When you’re stood there looking like you’re gonna do somebody some damage, let’s see where the balls are.

“Then I know what mine are. You’ll have to kill me to stop me, because I’ll definitely end it there. I don’t want the police knocking on my door anyway. They have knocked on my door too many times.”

Peter Fury

Peter Fury led his nephew to world title glory with a near flawless win against Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015.

Giving praise to his uncle at the time, Tyson said: “If it wasn’t with Peter, I wouldn’t be boxing. I wouldn’t train with anyone else.”

But his past criminality came back to bite him two years before Tyson’s title triumph after he was denied entry into America for one of his nephew’s professional bouts. He was also once denied entry into New Zealand when his own son was fighting for the world title – before this decision was reversed.

That’s because Peter once had an infamous reputation in the North West of England where he rose up in the underworld.

Speaking to BoxingScene, he once said: “I was wild when I was younger. I’d see someone with a nice pair of trainers on and want to have a fight with them.

“Then anyone who wanted protection would come to me because I was seen as a tough young fella. One thing led to another. I went from looking after people, to looking after other areas to looking after cities.”

Despite only being a young lad in his 20s, Peter became a kingpin for a crime gang where he headed up a supply chain of illegal amphetamine. He helped smuggle it from Belgium into the North West where it was cut and prepared before being distributed to buyers

Before justice caught up with him, flashy Peter enjoyed the luxuries he earned through his criminal activity and he owned both a Ferrari and a Porsche 911 with a personalised registration plate. His lavish motors didn’t change him much though – as he continued to live in caravans to keep in tradition with his traveller background.

But his life in the fast lane began to derail when he was caught collecting a rucksack containing 10kg of speed in 1994. Rather than admit his wrong doings, he tried to fool the courts by saying his riches came from boxing, bare knuckle brawling and from flogging used cars.

Despite pleading his innocence, he was caged for 10 years for possession of amphetamine with intent to supply after evidence found he was making dodgy deals using bank accounts in America, Spain and Ireland.

The savvy former criminal continued to run his empire behind bars and he was later sent back inside in 2008 for money laundering and was ordered to pay back almost £1 million in assets.

At the time, Alun Milford, head of the CPS Organised Crime Division, said: “It is clear from his realisable assets that Fury has enjoyed an extremely comfortable lifestyle and we will work vigorously to ensure he pays the court’s order.”

Eventually, he did manage to turn his life around in prison, and he went on to achieve lofty heights by training his nephew Tyson to become a world champion boxer.

But giving a stark insight into his time in jail, he told BoxingScene: “You’re on a knife edge. They soon get to know if you can fight and stand up for yourself. If you are weak in prison then you get quickly found out.

“I was regarded as dangerous, so I was locked up with IRA members and lifers. It was like being in the dark for 24 hours a day. You can get beaten up in prison, you can get stabbed, but you can get all that on the streets as well. I’d dealt with that growing up.

“You sweat blood and tears in those cells. All those people who stick their chests out and say jail is easy are lying because there is nothing worse than being away from your family. Someone could put a million quid into a bank and ask me if I’d do my time over again for it – I wouldn’t.”

He went on: “You’re in hell on earth. That man sat next to you can easily put a knife through your neck because they’re in for life and are in despair with nothing to lose. People have no idea what it’s like. Going inside made me realise what life was about and what I was missing.”