Tyson Fury has disclosed that his wife, Paris, suffered a miscarriage six months into her pregnancy, and he only learned the truth the night before his world heavyweight title unification loss to Oleksandr Usyk in May. The boxer stressed that the tragedy should not be used as an excuse for the defeat, but expressed deep regret at not being able to support his wife during the ordeal.
Speaking emotionally on Wednesday, Fury explained that Paris lost the baby on the Friday of the fight week. 'It's not like a small miscarriage at the beginning. You have to physically give birth to a dead child, on your own, while your husband is in a foreign country,' he said. Fury, who has seven children with Paris, confirmed the baby was a boy.
Fury admitted he suspected something was wrong when Paris said she could not travel to Riyadh due to high blood pressure. 'I knew there was a problem. I said to my brother: 'She's lost that baby,'' he recounted. Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, had offered a private jet with a doctor, but Fury knew the situation was serious when she still could not fly.
Despite the personal tragedy, Fury insisted it did not affect his performance against Usyk. 'It's not an excuse – hell no. I am a man of honour. I do what I have to do when I am in [the ring],' he said. The rematch between Fury and Usyk is scheduled for 21 December in Riyadh.
