TYSON FURY always knew he’d rake in the big bucks on his way to heavyweight glory – even when others doubted his chances.
The Gypsy King has won the lot during his 16-year professional career and taken part in some of the biggest fights of his era.
From stunningly dethroning Wladimir Klitschko away from home in 2015 to a sensational trilogy with Deontay Wilder, Fury has nearly completed the fight game.
His exploits have made him one of the wealthiest fighters in recent boxing history, a position he knew he’d find himself in back when he was a young whippersnapper.
He told Sky Sports: “I always believed, even when other people didn’t, that I would be a star and make millions of dollars from fights.
“I always believed I’d be heavyweight champion, I’m the best fighter in the world.
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“First, you’ve got to believe, then you’ve got to achieve.”
Fury, 35, wanted to mix it with the best in the world early into his career, but benefitted from not being thrown to the lions too quickly.
He added: “You live and learn from your experiences – nothing happens overnight.
“Back then, I wanted to fight [Wladimir] Klitschko and I did get to seven years after that.
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“Good things come to those who wait, nothing should be rushed, and take your time because you’ve only got one career and you’re only a young lad.
“At that time, at 20 years old, I wanted everything yesterday.”
Fury will look to cement his legacy and truly prove himself to be the best heavyweight of his era on May 18 when he faces Oleksandr Usyk for all the marbles in Saudi Arabia.
And being draped in all the belts as fellow Brit Lennox Lewis was at Madison Square Garden nearly 25 years ago is something Fury has long dreamed of.
The pride of Wythenshawe said: “From a little boy, I said that and achieved it.
“So I’ve got to be one of the rare few people who dreamed something as a child and achieved it as an adult.
“It’s been [an] amazing journey.
“And here we are now, 16 years later, about to be [the] undisputed champion of the world.
“The biggest fight, in the last 25 years, which is an amazing effort.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk