‘Having a drink cost me my family’ – Tommy FuryMedia caption, ‘Alcohol was the only thing that made me happy’
Coral Barry
Combat sports senior journalist
“Having a drink is what cost me my entire family.”
It is the first episode of Tommy Fury’s BBC documentary and he is explaining why his very public break-up with Molly-Mae Hague happened.
The boxer, whose profile skyrocketed when he went on Love Island in 2019, is sitting in his self-described “big” house, alone.
A graphic pops up to say it is 110 days since Hague and their young daughter, Bambi, left.
When Hague announced their break-up in August 2024, Fury immediately began facing accusations of cheating and getting another woman pregnant.
Fury denied all those “disgusting” claims, and he reveals that after having an operation on a long-term hand injury, he began drinking heavily.
John Fury, the father of both Tommy and former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, says he told Hague to leave his son.
“During this documentary a lot of my hardest times have been documented,” Fury tells BBC Sport.
“[The documentary is about] how to navigate tough times.
“What’s it like behind the scenes of an actual boxing fight.
“And how difficult it is to balance everything – being a family man, fighter and work life.”
The documentary follows Fury as he charts his way back from mental health struggles and excessive drinking.
The Englishman credits boxing and his daughter Bambi, “the best thing in my life”, with helping him most.
And in May this year it was confirmed Fury and Hague had reconciled.
“Training was my escape. I’d always feel amazing coming out of the gym no matter what was happening, even if my life was falling apart,” Fury says.
“My relationship with boxing is as it’s always been. I’ve still got the same goals, I’m still hungry.
“I am still up at four or five in the morning running, still training three times a day. The hunger is still there.
“If it wasn’t for boxing, I wouldn’t have what I have in my life.
“Boxing has opened every single door for me. I owe my life to boxing.”
Watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three from Tuesday, 19 August
‘Jake Paul knows where I am’
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Fury and Jake Paul went eight rounds together in February 2023
Fury’s boxing career has followed an unusual path.
The Mancunian had two professional fights under his belt when he appeared on Love Island, but with his fame and the emergence of influencer boxing, Fury stepped into that world.
He says his goals are still the same, he still wants to be a world champion one day.
“I am 26 years old, I believe I have the talent to do so, I just need the experience and the time,” he says.
But Fury’s two biggest fights have been against YouTubers KSI and Jake Paul. Paul is a regular competitor in boxing and continues to be one of the most marketable fighters in the sport.
Fury beat Paul by split decision in 2023 in a lucrative bout and while his ambitions are to establish himself as a top contender at cruiserweight, he is not ruling out more crossover fights.
The Englishman was scheduled to fight ex-UFC star Darren Till earlier this year in a boxing match, before Fury pulled out of the contest.
He returned from an 18-month absence from the ring in May when he beat Kenan Hanjalic in Budapest.
With Paul on a six-fight winning streak since facing Fury and bringing boxing to streaming giant Netflix, Fury is open to a rematch.
“Jake Paul’s a unique character. He’s doing well. There’s no animosity or jealousy there,” Fury says.
“He’s making big waves and good luck to him. I’m doing my thing.
“I’m here, I’m ready but I’m not begging for a fight. I’ve done my job, I’ve beat him. I’ve got the win, he’s got the loss.
“Any day he wants to rectify that, he knows where I am.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article you can visit the BBC’s Action Line for information and support on addiction.
Related topics
More boxing from the BBC
