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      in Boxing

      Boxer Prichard Colon’s mum shares health update on son as he celebrates birthday and receives gift from Daddy Yankee

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      PRICHARD COLON’S mother Nieves has shared an update on his health as he celebrated his birthday.Nieves shared a video presenting the former boxer with a cupcake and a candle.
      Prichard Colon’s mum shared an update on his condition on his birthdayCredit: TIKTOK fuerzacampeon_
      The boxer suffered a bleed on the brain during a fight in 2015Credit: Getty
      Colon, who turned 31, is seen smiling in response to his birthday cake, while he also received a signed boxing glove from rapper Daddy Yankee.
      Fans reacted to the video by offering up well wishes for his birthday and his recovery.
      The Puerto Rican fighter suffered a bleed on the brain during a 2015 fight with Terrel Williams.
      He was subjected to repeated blows to the back of his head during the bout, causing part of his skull to collapse.
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      The boxer left the ring but became dizzy and nauseous in his dressing room.
      He went into a coma for 221 days and has since been looked after at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Orange Park, Florida.
      Nieves provides updates on her son’s health on social media and earlier this year posted a video titled “Prichard Colon-Melendez 5K run for the woods” which featured a video of Colon on a trail in a specially adapted mobility chair.
      It is unclear how much the former sportsman will recover but so far he is showing good progress.
      Most read in Boxing
      Former heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder broke down in tears while discussing Colon’s condition following his last win against Robert Helenius in October last year.
      He pointed to Colon as an example of the dangers boxers face when they entered the ring and showed sympathy for his fellow fighter. More

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      in Boxing

      Eagle-eyed fans say ‘the mental battle is already LOST’ for KSI after spotting what he did in two Tommy Fury face-offs

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      EAGLE-EYED fans have claimed “the mental battle is already LOST” for KSI following his face-offs with Tommy Fury. The celebrity boxing stars clash in a massive Battle of Britain bout on October 14 in Manchester.
      KSI facing off with Tommy Fury ahead of their fightCredit: Reuters
      And before the DAZN pay-per-view showdown the two came head during a heated press conference and face-off interview.
      Both times KSI attempted to make Fury flinch by pretending to take a lunge at him and grabbing a bottle of Prime to dash his rival’s way.
      But after each attempt failed to faze the unbeaten boxer, fans spoke out to say KSI was already in a losing battle.
      One said: “KSI Has now FAILED at making Tommy Fury flinch TWICE‼️ The mental battle is already lost for this man.”
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      Another slammed: “KSI is embarrassing.”
      One asked: “He’s trying to make him flinch from 2 meters away, idk why he’s tried it twice.”
      KSI let out a menacing laugh as he grabbed a bottle of his popular Prime drink.
      But a confused Fury responded with: “What was that about? There’s no flinching out of me, mate.
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      “But don’t worry, I’ve got a rock solid metal (bottle) here and a lot more power behind my throw as well.
      “And there’s no flinching there, you tried to but you didn’t and I hope your feints are a lot better because that was s***.”
      KSI also left Fury bemused after making a remark about the size of his manhood, having accepted the grudge match as a huge betting underdog.
      He said: “Have you not seen the size of my balls, bro? I’ve got f basketballs down there.”
      Fury replied: “I don’t want to. Why does him and Jake Paul keep coming out with this?
      “Jake Paul said he was going to do such and such on fight week, and now you’re talking about balls. What is it with you guys?”
      The celebrity stars clash in a massive bout on October 14 in ManchesterCredit: Reuters More

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      in Soccer

      Tough guy Ten Hag’s not a school headmaster… if his approach doesn’t lead Man Utd to more wins then it isn’t working

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      WE know he’s a tough guy, who’s not afraid to make the tough calls, Erik ten Hag.That much is brutally apparent.
      Erik ten Hag already has two big questions to answer early in the seasonCredit: EPA
      Contrast Ten Hag’s treatment of Jadon Sancho with the more understanding approach to Richarlison shown by Spurs manager Ange PostecoglouCredit: Rex
      Here’s the guy who bombed out Cristiano Ronaldo, stripped Harry Maguire of the captaincy, released David de Gea and has now frozen out Jadon Sancho.
      Big balls, this fella. Proper hardline. An alpha male. A ‘come on punk, make my day’ kind of a boss.
      Cue a standing ovation from the cheap seats, where they’re convinced Premier League footballers are all filthy-rich prima donnas who need to be brought down a peg.
      Ten Hag says there was ‘no good culture’ when he arrived at Manchester United, after the benign reign of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and that supply-teacher interlude under Ralf Rangnick.
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      And most managerial appointments are a reaction against the predecessor.
      Who knows, when Ten Hag goes, maybe United will replace him with Peter Kay or one of Britain’s other leading light entertainers.
      But with United in the bottom half of the table after five poor performances out of five, two questions arise.
      Firstly, can Ten Hag’s ‘my way or the highway’ routine actually work at an elite club in the 21st century?
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      And secondly, while he has proved adept at tearing things apart, is the Dutchman actually showing any signs of building anything positive?
      Consider Ten Hag’s approach to  Sancho, against that of Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou towards Richarlison.
      The known circumstances are very different — Sancho is accused of lacking professionalism, while Richarlison has admitted he is struggling on a human level and seeking help with his mental health.
      But the contrast in approach between the two managers still feels relevant.
      Postecoglou spoke with intelligence and decency about Richarlison’s struggles on Friday.
      The following day, the Brazilian headed an equaliser to spark an  improbable injury-time comeback win against Sheffield United.
      Ten Hag publicly stated that Sancho had trained poorly when he was left out of the squad for the defeat at Arsenal.
      And when Sancho effectively accused his boss of lying and making him a ‘scapegoat’, he refused to  apologise and has been frozen out of first-team training as a result.
      Ten Hag has frozen Jadon Sancho out after a controversial disputeCredit: Getty
      Consider that Antony  is currently on leave of absence to address accusations of assaulting women, with Mason Greenwood on loan at Getafe after allegations of attempted rape, coercion and assault were dropped.
      So it’s not as if Sancho is the baddest man at Carrington. And it’s not as if Ten Hag didn’t need wingers.
      Indeed, he sent out a team in a midfield diamond, without wide forwards, against Brighton on Saturday and United took a 3-1 hiding.
      The subject of footballers’ mental health is often turned on and off like a tap.
      Dele Alli opens up bravely about the impact of an extremely difficult upbringing, and everyone salutes his bravery, promising to remember that footballers are humans and cut them some slack.
      Then Sancho gets called out and he’s widely accused of being an ill-disciplined brat.
      It would be interesting to hear Sancho’s full story but if he gave it, he would doubtless be fined two weeks’ wages.
      Remember that Sancho was given an extended break last season to work on ‘physical and mental issues’.
      Maybe a genuine tough guy doesn’t always need to make a show of being the tough guy. Footballers respect managers who are authentic.
      Also remember that Sancho was bold enough to leave his comfort zone by moving to Borussia Dortmund as a 17-year-old and tore it up in the Bundesliga — a forerunner to Jude Bellingham.
      Paint Sancho as a wrong ‘un all you like but the truth is almost certainly more complex. He’s probably a bundle of contradictions like most of us.
      And he’s also a £73million player who operates in a position where United are lacking.
      Ten Hag is a football manager, not the headmaster of a reform school.
      If his approach doesn’t lead to United winning more football matches, then it isn’t working.
      And maybe a genuine tough guy doesn’t always need to make such a show of being the tough guy.
      Footballers respect managers who are authentic. Are United’s players respectful of Ten Hag’s methods?
      Well it’s not as if Ten Hag’s ‘toughness’ is being reflected on the pitch.Brighton waltzed through a static defence several times as they chalked up their fourth consecutive  victory over United.
      This season, United haven’t looked like a team with an identity and a plan.
      Ten Hag built a wonderful side at Ajax but there are few signs of anything similar at Old Trafford.
      Most of the club’s problems are not Ten Hag’s fault, especially as the Glazer family’s alleged ‘sale process’ drags on tortuously.
      But United still spent just under £170million this summer only to have gone backwards.
      It was widely expected that United would bid for Harry Kane — who faces them in the Champions League with Bayern Munich tomorrow.But maybe that would have been too obvious — too much like Easy Street for Ten Hag.
      Instead, this tough guy walks the hard yards.
      He must hope that his players are willing to follow him.
      Lord’s player
      SAY anything  negative about the Premier League’s wealthiest clubs and you are  invariably accused of jealousy.
      Yet nobody secretly wishes they support one of the Manchester clubs or Chelsea or Newcastle.
      No, God’s chosen people are Brighton fans — the street cred of the hard-times back story, the glorious rise, the ridiculously successful transfer policy, the beautiful football and the frequent mullerings of the elite.
      As they make their European debut against AEK Athens on Thursday, we wish Seagulls supporters all the very best.
      The lucky, lucky bleeders.
      Out to lunch
      COLIN MURPHY, who has died  aged 79, was a successful lower-league manager, most notably at Lincoln City.
      He was an obsessive football watcher, renowned for having the most high-mileage vehicle in the game.
      Yet Murphy is best remembered for his  magnificently bewildering programme notes.
      Murphy once wrote: “You, me, we, all of us have been forced to breakfast on travesty, lunch on objection and insult, dine on inflicted pressure.“High tea we daren’t sit still long enough to take and, by supper, we were still expected to have been victorious.”
      Doubtless followed by: “Glenn Cockerill remains sidelined by a hamstring injury and I’d like to welcome the players, officials and supporters of Port Vale to Sincil Bank for today’s  Division Three fixture.”
      Skewered
      WHILE waiting to interview Gareth Southgate in a Hampden concourse last week, we perused the menu on offer to Scottish football fans.
      Top of the list a kebab pie.
      So on behalf of the civilised world, thanks to Jude Bellingham for putting these barbarians in their place.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      A step too VAR
      CHAMPIONSHIP clubs will shun the introduction of VAR because an overwhelming majority realise that the system has made Premier League football worse, not better.
      Good on them for recognising technology does not always represent ‘progress’. More

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      in Soccer

      I was the ‘new Maradona’, had a boot deal as a kid & starred on TV shows but it all got too much – now I’m a cab driver

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      SONNY PIKE was once dubbed the “new Diego Maradona” but now works as a taxi driver.Pike, 40, was once Britain’s biggest football prodigy, but things all got too much and he quit the game having never made a professional appearance.
      Sonny Pike was set for stardom but never made it as a professionalCredit: YouTube
      He is now a taxi driver and football coachCredit: Sonny Pike
      His story began when he was a schoolboy, first playing at local side Enfield FC with a dream of emulating his idol Paul Gascoigne.
      It wasn’t long before he started competing against older children for at school and for his Sunday League team, catching the attention of the press having netted over 100 goals in one season.
      Pike’s first television appearance came on 1990s news show London Tonight before he was then interviewed on hit programmes like Fantasy Football League and The Big Breakfast.
      He had the world’s media in a frenzy as they hyped him up as the “next Maradona or George Best”.
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      It alerted the likes of Ajax, who had developed a reputation for nurturing some of the best talents in the game.
      The Dutch side invited him to a trial in Amsterdam with the then 12-year-old being followed by Blue Peter cameras while in Holland.
      He set about dazzling coaches with his technique and skill despite Pike focusing his future on becoming a Premier League hero one day.
      The fanfare grew on his return from Ajax with his new-found celebrity status.
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      Pike was a guest on Fantasy Football LeagueCredit: YouTube
      He was soon being snapped up by huge companies in sponsorship deals with the likes of McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Mizuno as all tried to get a piece of the action.
      Pike explained to Flashscore: “I was on the pitch for Coca Cola Cup finals doing kick-ups before the games, I was doing McDonald’s adverts, I was getting Paul Smith making me suits.
      “I started to get awards from Sky Sports at this point in time obviously the Premier League and Sky Sports were just kicking off.
      “I was sponsored by Mizuno and was doing things with [Gianfranco] Zola and all these guys but in the early to mid-90s.
      “Only one or two players out of a Premier League team would have their own boot deal. People were saying, ‘Who’s this Sonny kid, he’s everywhere. He’s a little kid, he’s got deals, he’s going in Hello magazine.’
      “It was rubbing some professionals up the wrong way – but I was just a kid getting all this attention.”
      As quickly as fame arrived, it soon began to disappear and Pike’s life began to spiral downwards.
      Aged 14, the pressure got too much and it was reported that his legs were insured for £1million.
      It led to Pike being on the receiving end of disgusting abuse from jealous parents that wanted their kids to injure him.
      He told SunSport: “Because I had long hair they used to say, ‘he’s only a girl, break his legs.’
      “Not just that, off the pitch and at school I got different treatment that didn’t help me either.
      “Once I remember a guy came up to me on the street to tell me he put a bet on me to play for England. It was scary.”
      Pike is reluctant to blame his father for his downfall but one huge moment led to his career stalling.
      He was signed as a youth player by Leyton Orient and his dad Mickey pushed his son to appear in a documentary called ‘Coaching and Poaching’ presented by Greg Dyke.
      Pike was stunned to hear the documentary, instead of looking at his life as a youngster, actually exposed that Chelsea were tapping him up, with the young star unaware he had broken any rules.
      Pike fell out of love with the beautiful game as a teenagerCredit: Sonny Pike
      The FA banned him and his relationship with his father became further strained when he began to believe Mickey was making money off his name.
      His parents also divorced and Pike was left without a club due to his ban.
      Opened up on the dark time, he said: “After watching that documentary, I came out of the pub and I stood in the middle of the main road in Edmonton, actually on a roundabout.
      “There’s cars just whizzing around me and I just felt that’s what my head was getting like. ‘This is too much, enough of this now.’
      “Then a month later my dad turns up, I’d not seen him for a few weeks. As soon as he comes up towards me, the first thing I’m gonna say to him is, for the very first time, ‘I don’t want to do this no more.’
      “He told me that he had some more work for me, some more TV stuff and I’m literally about to walk up to and say the complete opposite.
      “He said, ‘If you don’t do it, you ain’t got a dad.’”
      Eventually, Pike was handed a chance by Crystal Palace but made the news again when his father did an interview with a newspaper claiming how big offers had ripped the family apart.
      On the pitch, he could no longer cope, revealing: “I pretty-much had a mental breakdown on the pitch. I came on for 15 minutes, I was given the opportunity and I just walked off.
      “The pressure of me going on, it was just too much. I looked at the coach and just walked off.
      “I broke down and I knew it was all over from then.”
      Pike then spent two years at non-league Stevenage until he was 18-years-old on a YTS scheme but his heart was no longer in football.
      Battles with depression continued but the wonderkid managed to turn his life around with the pressures of expectation and media attention gone.
      Pike started a new career working as a cab driver in London while he also helps young and upcoming footballers not fall into the trap of stardom.
      He does coaching sessions but offers support for off-field matters as he delivers talks to parents and players about protecting mental health and the dangers that lie ahead for future pros.
      Pike also wrote a book called “The Greatest Footballer That Never Was” further explaining his story.
      On his life within football now, he says: “I’m talking to their parents and then trying to get the player through that process because obviously I can relate to it a lot – the attention and the pressure they get – I’ve been there. 
      “I get a lot of other kids come in… a boy was sent down from up north and had a professional contract given to him but he didn’t want to sign it.
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      “His mum and dad sent him down to me, just to talk to me. I get a lot of that.”
      Pike adds: “Instead of grabbing all the sponsorship deals and this sort of stuff, getting excited over a few pairs of boots or an advert or whatever else, think long-term and concentrate on and promote the love of football more.”
      Sonny Pike is now a football coachCredit: GettyYou’re Not AloneEVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.

      It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
      It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
      And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
      Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
      That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
      The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
      Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
      If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

      CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
      Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
      Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
      Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
      Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
      Movember, www.uk.movember.com
      Anxiety UK www.anxietyuk.org.uk, 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm More

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      in Soccer

      Football clubs transform stadiums’ empty seats to read ‘Where’s my mate?’ in plea to remind fans to check on loved ones

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      EMPTY seats at football stadiums have changed as part of a campaign to remind people to check in on friends and loved ones who could be struggling.Rotherham’s AESSEAL New York Stadium and Darlington’s Blackwell Meadows Stadium are currently host to the message from men’s health charity Movember, with the North East and Yorkshire home to the highest suicide rates in the UK.
      Empty seats at Rotherham United FC’s AESSEAL New York Stadium have been adjusted as a part of the ‘Sport the Signs’ campaignCredit: SWNS
      The campaign is to remind people to check in on loved ones and friendsCredit: SWNS
      Some 55 per cent of those in the North East support a local or hometown football team, while 34 per cent of Yorkshire residents do the same, according to a study of 2,000 adults.
      However, things are improving with 68 per cent of men believing it’s easier to talk about their mental wellbeing than it was 20 years ago.
      The initiative forms part of the charity’s “Sport the Signs” campaign, which aims to educate men on how to spot initial signs that could warrant a supportive check-in, such as when that mate who never misses a football game, misses a game.
      The charity wants to heighten awareness around male mental well-being in the lead up to World Suicide Prevention Day on 10th September after the research found an informal environment, such as at the pub, or watching a football game, is a time when men would be most comfortable checking in with a friend.
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      The research found 44 per cent of men in the UK have suffered with their mental wellbeing.
      However, 65 per cent would keep it to themselves if they were struggling, despite 48 per cent saying speaking to a loved one has helped when suffering with their mental health.
      Dr Zac Seidler, global director of men’s health research from Movember, said: “We believe that every football fan holds the potential to make a difference in someone’s life.
      “With our ‘Sport the Signs’ campaign, we’re turning Rotherham United and Darlington F.C.’s stadiums into platforms of hope for World Suicide Prevention Day.
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      The campaign was set up to help people with their mental healthCredit: SWNS
      “Through ‘filling’ these empty seats with such a poignant message, we want to remind people that noticing the signs, reaching out and supporting one another can truly save lives.
      “The only goal we truly care about is to stop men dying too young, and through this landmark collaboration, we hope to equip men with the knowledge, confidence, and tools that could save another man’s life.”
      It also emerged 24 per cent claim to be good at opening up about their mental wellbeing to others.
      While men are also much less likely to open up to a friend about their mental wellbeing – 30 per cent – than women, 42 per cent.
      Additionally, 59 per cent of men wouldn’t know the signs to look out for were someone they knew in crisis, and 55 per cent didn’t know how to reach out and start a conversation.
      Despite this, 59 per cent said they would be most likely to open up face-to-face about their mental health as when people have reached out to them in the past, 57 per cent felt supported, 56 per cent felt cared about and 32 per cent felt relieved. 
      According to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), in the UK, three out of four suicides are men, and it remains the leading cause of death among men aged between 20 and 34.
      Psychological research suggests that dominant masculine stereotypes that prevent men from feeling like they can talk openly about their feelings play a large contributing factor.
      The campaign is also taking place at Darlington FC’s Blackwell Meadows StadiumCredit: SWNS
      This is particularly true amongst football fans, with the study carried out via OnePoll indicating that 48 per cent of individuals in this community have grappled with their mental well-being.
      The Sport the Signs campaign is aiming to spread awareness of the key signs that can indicate that a male friend may be in need and encourage men that if they spot a mate whose behaviour is out of character – don’t ignore it, reach out.
      To equip people with the skills needed to have open and honest conversations with friends, the charity has created resources to reveal the key, but often missed, signals that could indicate someone is struggling.
      Howard Webb, former Premier League and Fifa referee, representative at Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) and Rotherham local is also part of the campaign.
      He said: “One of the reasons we all love the game that is football is the sense of camaraderie and community it offers – whether that’s supporting a team from home or coming along and watching alongside your mates.
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      “People are often surprised when they realise that the people they see the most are those who sit or stand around them at a football game.
      “We want to encourage people to reach out to those around them to help prevent them from reaching crisis point.”
      Contact the Samaritans
      If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, contact The Samaritans on 116 123. They are available for free at anytime.
      Or email https://www.samaritans.org/ More

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      in Soccer

      Everton star Dele Alli looks loved up with girlfriend Cindy Kimberly as they soak up the sun on break in Italy

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      DELE ALLI looked loved up with his girlfriend as they soaked up the sun while on a break in Italy.The Everton ace is enjoying a holiday with Cindy Kimberly on the Costa Smeralda in northern Sardinia as he works his way back to full fitness following a hip muscle injury.
      Dele Alli looked loved up with his girlfriend Cindy Kimberly as they sunbathed in ItalyCredit: BackGrid
      The pair packed on the PDA with a series of passionate kisses at Nikki BeachCredit: BackGrid
      Alli is working his way back to full fitness following a hip muscle injuryCredit: BackGrid
      Cindy was spotted taking a dip in the ocean wearing a blue bikiniCredit: BackGrid
      The romantic duo were all smiles as they put on a playful display in the hot Italian sunshine.
      Cindy was spotted taking a dip in the ocean wearing a blue bikini, while Alli lounged on a sunbed in designer shades and turquoise trunks.
      The pair packed on the PDA with a series of passionate kisses as they relaxed at Nikki Beach.
      The 24-year-old was first seen with footballer Alli while holidaying on a yacht in Capri, Italy in 2022.
      Read more Sport News
      The pair have been going strong ever since.
      The 27-year-old former England international has so far failed to make an impact at Everton, after switching from Spurs in January 2022.
      Alli recently revealed in an emotional interview that he had even considered hanging up his boots.
      He also bravely opened up about how he was sexually abused as a six-year-old – and dealing drugs aged eight.
      Most read in Football
      The attacking midfielder also spoke about past alcohol problems, sleeping-pill addiction and addressed his mental-health issues.
      He also spent six weeks in a rehab clinic.
      He said: “Now is the right time for me to tell people what’s been going on.
      “It’s tough to talk about because it’s something I’ve hid for a long time. I’m scared to talk about it.
      “When I came back from Turkey, I found out I needed an operation I was in a bad place mentally and I decided to go to a modern-day rehab facility for mental health.
      “They deal with addiction and trauma. I felt it was time for me.
      “You can’t be told to go there – you have to know and make the decision yourself or it’s not going to work.
      “I was caught in a bad cycle and things that were doing me harm.”
      The football world has thrown its support behind Alli.
      Read More on The Sun
      He was warmly greeted at Tottenham on Saturday as he watched their 2-0 win against Manchester United.
      The former Spur caught up with many of his former team-mates afterwards.
      Kimberly, 24, has been dating Alli since last summerCredit: BackGrid
      Alli lounged on a sunbed in designer shades and turquoise trunksCredit: BackGrid
      The romantic duo were all smiles as they put on a playful displayCredit: BackGrid
      Cindy is best known for being an influencer from the NetherlandsCredit: BackGrid
      She was born in Amsterdam and is half Spanish and half IndonesianCredit: BackGrid
      She currently works as a model and influencer and is signed to Uno modelsCredit: BackGrid More

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      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury opens up on crushing 7am call that told him of cousin’s murder – as family feared it would push him over edge

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      TYSON Fury was relaxing in Majorca with wife Paris when he was woken at 7am with a call that changed his life. His beloved cousin Rico Burton, who he treated as a brother, had been stabbed to death outside a club, at the age of 31.
      Tyson was devastated by his close cousin’s murderCredit: NETFLIX
      Rico was stabbed on a night out in Cheshire
      The devastating effect on the world heavyweight champ is captured in moving scenes in the new Netflix series At Home with the Furys.
      Tyson, who has bipolar disorder and was struggling with retirement from the ring at the time, plunged into a deep low on hearing the news, leaving wife Paris fearing he would spiral into a long and damaging depression. 
      “Tyson got the call early in the morning,” she says on camera. “He went into a really low, quiet mood which isn’t good for Tyson.
      “Such a devastating phone call can change everything that’s going on in his life and I think Tyson found it really hard to process that it happened.”
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      Horror stabbing
      Rico was stabbed in the neck with a seven-inch blade during a brawl outside a group of bars in Altrincham, Cheshire.
      Last week, killer Liam O’Pray, 22, was jailed for life at Manchester Crown Court over the senseless murder.
      At the time of the tragedy, Tyson posted a heartfelt plea to end knife crime. But the nine-part documentary, released on August 16, reveals the full impact of the tragedy on The Gypsy King, and the part it played in his triumphant comeback to the ring, in December.
      It also highlights the fears that both Tyson, 34, and Paris, 32, – who have six kids and seventh on the way – have about the long term effects of the sport, including brain damage, and the battle between his poor mental health when inactive and the risk of physical harm in the ring.
      Most read in Boxing
      Tyson struggles to deal with his grief in the days afterCredit: Netflix
      Hundreds gathered for the funeral of tragic Rico
      Thug Liam O’Pray was jailed for lifeCredit: Greater Manchester Police
      The night of Rico’s death, Tyson, dad John and Paris were watching the world heavyweight title bout between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk, in Majorca, ahead of a meet-and-greet with fans.
      Tyson went on to party with Paris, unaware of the horrific events unfolding at home until the call from his cousin Justin, the following morning, brought him crashing down.
      “Last night I was on a high after the Usyk fight,” he says. “We had a great party, me and Paris were dancing. It was a great night. 
      “Then this morning I got a phone call telling me my cousin Rico has been killed. It’s like someone took the plug out of me and all the life had come out of me. Rico had a whole lot of life to live and now he’s finished, shocking news. ”
      Reminiscing about their childhood together he adds: “Me and Rico are really close. We trained at the same boxing club together. We used to play up and down when we were small kids, hide and seek, building dens. Precious moments.”
      Fears of suicidal thoughts
      While anxious Paris sits by the pool in the luxury villa, heartbroken Tyson lies on a chaise longue inside, staring blankly into space.
      Mum-of-six Paris, who met Tyson when he was 17 and she was 15 and married him in 2008, worries that the grief will overwhelm him.
      Remembering the spiral of depression and drug and drink addiction that followed the death of their unborn baby and his beloved uncle Hughie, in the same hospital, in 2014, she says: “Tyson doesn’t handle death very well. 
      “He doesn’t know the normal procedures of life and he handles it in his own way, so his own way today is that he’s locked himself in the room and hasn’t really spoken to any of us since.
      “I think he’d like to be at home right now but he can’t go anywhere because he’s got something like 1,500 people coming to the show tonight and to be the cheery, upbeat Tyson Fury they’ve all paid to come and see.
      “He’ll dig deep and find his space because he is a showman and that’s what they do.”
      Rico was stabbed in the neck outside pubs in Goose Green, AltrinchamCredit: PA
      Paris worries about how Tyson handles griefCredit: Courtesy of Netflix
      Dad John was anxious about the effect Rico’s death had on TysonCredit: Courtesy of Netflix
      The boxer, who has been open about his mental health struggles, ballooned to 28st and was drinking 18 pints a day at his lowest ebb in 2015, and admitted he was on the brink of suicide.
      With the sad news coinciding with his feelings of having no purpose, having stepped away from the ring, Paris fears a return to those dark days but says she’ll pull him through.
      “Tyson has taken Rico’s death really hard so I’m supporting him 100 per cent. We’re in it, ride or die,” says Paris.
      “Me and Tyson, we’ve been through some tough times, we’ve had some serious tough situations whether it’s been the kids being ill,  or me being in hospital or Tyson having his depression times, we went through some tough stuff. We can make it through anything.”
      But dad John worries the new heartbreak could send him over the edge again.
      “Tyson doesn’t deal very well with death but none of us do,” he says. “What he tends to do is think to himself ‘Life isn’t worth living. What am I doing all this for? Why have I done what I’ve done in my life when it can all be taken away from you in the blink of an eye.”
      ‘Awakening day’
      While Tyson retreats into himself, he puts on a brave face to attend the Majorca show, just hours after his loss.
      He tells the audience about the moment he was told of Rico’s death: “I’ve had my blood turned cold because you never know when your time’s up and you’re only ever one phone call away from disaster so it’s been a real awakening day. 
      “I’ve had that many emotions today I’m not too sure how to handle it. You people came to see the show but I’ve had the f***ing day from hell to be honest with you. 
      “But it’s made me realise one thing – that life and time is very precious and it can be taken away from anybody at any time.”
      It’s made me realise one thing – that life and time is very precious and it can be taken away from anybody at any timeTyson Fury
      Flying home, he barely speaks and when they meet Paris’ mum Lynda for a pub lunch, close to their Morecambe Bay home, he sits alone outside and broods.
      “Tyson hasn’t said more than ten words to me in the last two days,” says Paris. “Tyson wants to stick his head in the sand, I’m letting him have that moment for himself because obviously he’s still upset.”
      The troubled champ withdrew into himself after the newsCredit: Netflix
      Tragic Rico was like a brother to Tyson
      Just two days later, on a run along the bay, the ever-impulsive fighter finds his own solution to his low mood – posting an Instagram message challenging boxing promoters to raise £500million to lure him back into the ring,
      “If I’m going to put all on the line boys it has to be half a billion or more,” he says, giving them seven days to raise the cash, “If not, thank you very much it’s been a blast. So let the games begin.”
      Blindsided, Paris worries he’s not in the “right frame of mind” to be making huge decisions, but the dramatic change in Tyson’s mood, as he begins to dream of a comeback, gives he pause for thought
      After she challenges him over the post, he jokes: “If I got half a billion I might start shopping at Sainsbury’s instead of Asda and if I get another half a billion, I might up the ante and shop in M&S. Come on!”
      “You can instantly see how delighted he is in boxing talk,” she says. “You can see the mood lift on him, he’s excited, he’s happy, just because he’s had a conversation about boxing.”
      Even so, Paris is shocked when Tyson announces he has made a deal on his comeback, without telling her, announcing in a restaurant that: “I can confirm I’m coming home baby. I’m fighting Nov 12.”
      Tyson returned to the ring to battle Chisora in DecemberCredit: Getty
      Tyson is devoted to his familyCredit: parisfury1/instagram
      To make matters worse he tells his worried wife: “I’m sad that I ever thought of retirement. I’m going to continue ‘til I can’t fight anymore. I’m going to be like all the rest of them, battered to pieces with brain damage.”
      “Boxing is not a game, it’s a very dangerous sport,” she says. “One punch can cause life devastating effects.”
      But Tyson reveals he is “lost” without the sport and that he felt choked by retirement.
      “Why am I boxing? Because it’s the only thing I’ve got in my life,” he says. “That might sound strange with me having a family. However, having retired for a few months, I realise it’s the only thing I can do. Without it I’m lost.”
      Tyson announced he was coming out of retirement in October 2022 and defeated Derek Chisora in his comeback bout, in front of a 60,000 strong crowd at Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium in December.
      He is set to fight UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 28.
      With his second retirement over, Tyson has no plans to quit for some time.
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      “When I knew it was finally over it was like someone cut a lifeline on me and stopped me breathing almost,” he says.  “As soon as I said I was coming back, it was gone, and I’m feeling great again. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to let go.”
      At Home with the Furys is available on Netflix from August 16 More

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      Tyson Fury’s Netflix show goes inside wild life of boxing superstar – with 6 kids, chaotic moods & lavish impulse buys

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      “UNLESS you live with us, I don’t think you can understand what really our life is . . . how mad it is,” says Tyson Fury’s wife Paris in their new Netflix reality show.But for the millions of devoted fans of boxer the Gypsy King, At Home With The Furys offers a pretty good insight into their chaotic world, with six lively kids, during his short-lived retirement in 2022.
      Champ Tyson Fury versus Dillian Whyte in 2022Credit: Getty
      Paris and Tyson with their broodCredit: Courtesy of Netflix
      The couple enjoy a rare moment of relaxationCredit: NETFLIX
      As the heavyweight champ, 34, battles with his hiatus from the ring, feeling lost and lacking purpose, Paris worries he will slip back into the depression and addiction that led him to the brink of suicide when he also quit the sport in 2019.
      She says: “When he last stopped boxing, Tyson had an alcohol and drug addiction.
      “He suffers from a few mental health problems. He’s got ADHD, depression, and it all spiralled out of control. We had a bad two years.
      “There’s no point saying that won’t happen again because that’s the elephant in the room I think about.”
      Read More on Tyson Fury
      Tyson’s bipolar disorder, diagnosed in 2017, means he has huge highs and deep lows and is prone to spontaneous acts — from booking a last-minute trip to Iceland to “pick a fight” with the world’s strongest man, to declaring he’s going to buy Blackpool airport and a second private jet.
      Somehow long-suffering Paris, 32, pregnant with baby No7, manages to find a way through the mayhem he creates, while calmly running their Morecambe Bay household and bringing up their huge brood, Venezuela, 13, Prince John James, 11, Prince Tyson II, seven, Valencia, five, Prince Adonis Amaziah, four, and Athena, who turns two this week.

      “Paris is amazing,” says Tyson. “We’ve been together 18 years and she’s put up with everything, all the good and bad times, the highs and lows. I wouldn’t be here without her. Where would I be? Dead, probably.”
      Tyson and Paris, who come from a traveller background, met when he was 17 and she was 15.
      Most read in Boxing
      For their first date they watched King Kong at the cinema, and she recalls: “I kept thinking, ‘Is he gonna kiss me?’ I’d never been kissed.
      “The movie went on for three hours and the moment King Kong climbs up the Empire State Building, that’s when Tyson decides to lean in and kiss me. It was the most awkward and embarrassing moment of my life.
      “Then he says, ‘Are you going to go out with me? Are you going to be my girlfriend?’ So I said, ‘Yeah’.”
      They married in 2008 and Tyson went on to become the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world, and now has an estimated £51million fortune.
      But the nine-part Netflix series also shows his grounded side.
      As he walks his dog he greets the many locals who say a friendly hello, posing happily for pictures and passing the time of day.
      With a collection of supercars which includes a Ferrari and a £384,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom, the self-proclaimed “King of the Chavs” prefers to drive around in his £500 2006 VW Passat, which he tells Paris is “worth less than your shoes”.
      And while Paris plans “Instagram-perfect” parties, including a lavish bash to mark Athena’s christening with a room full of pink balloons and a soft play area, the Gypsy King gets boxer shorts, socks and a £5 T-shirt for his 34th birthday.
      “Money isn’t the be all and end all of everything,” he says.
      “But for Paris it’s probably harder to go from lemonade to Champagne and back to lemonade again, rather than never having Champagne.”
      ‘Paris is amazing. Without her I’d be dead, probably’
      Tyson is a mass of contradictions. A devoted dad who often declares “home is where the heart is and where the family is”, he rails against the mundane routine of everyday life.
      Mucking in with household chores, he moans: “I’m the busiest retired man in the world.
      “I’d rather get punched the f*** out of me by ten world champions than stay at home a week and do all these jobs.”
      He is little help during the chaos before the morning school run, with Paris running around the house screaming: “Adonis, are you up yet?
      “Venezuela, are you in the bathroom?” — and when he’s left to look after the kids while she takes a ten-hour round trip to appear on TV’s Loose Women, he takes them all camping without telling her.
      Returning to an empty house, Paris fumes: “I’ve got a giant, 6ft 9in child. I don’t see the sense, the kids are in school tomorrow.
      “That’s the problem with living with him, he’s so up and down, which I suppose is a definition of the bipolar.
      “Instead of just being set in the routine of taking kids to school, which is normal, he’ll wake up and — ­bam! — we’re doing something else.
      I’d rather get punched the f*** out of me by ten world champions than stay at home a week and do all these jobs.Tyson Fury
      “I try to go along with his mood swings and his little ideas but these sorts of things are a definite interference in life.”
      She adds: “I’ll humour my husband and pretend this is normality when really, it is absolute madness.
      “But if I don’t let him have his little moments he gets a bit down and depressed and he gets upset.”
      In another impulsive moment, after goading strongman Thor Bjornsson over social media, Tyson flies to Iceland to challenge him to a fight.
      But on landing, he discovers Thor is in Rome, sending Tyson into a downer and causing him to fall off the wagon and sink a few pints.
      All this is witnessed by his dad John, who says: “When I’m looking at Tyson drinking I’m watching carefully because it caused so much trouble in the past. Last time Tyson retired he wasn’t in a good place and the fear of him going back there I couldn’t handle. I’d rather be dead than see him go down that road.”
      The undefeated champ’s frustration at having handed in his title is at its most palpable when he watches Anthony Joshua’s 2022 bout with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk.
      ‘Boxing is not a game, it’s very dangerous’
      Dismissing the fight — which Usyk won — as “s***e”, he is pumped up as he posts on social media that he would “go over there and fight them both on the same night”, as worried Paris watches.
      She says: “Boxing is not a game, it’s a very dangerous sport. One punch can cause life-devastating effects. He’s got nothing to prove.
      “He’s never lost. He’s won all the belts. It wouldn’t be worth it to keep going in the ring and take those risks.”
      Shortly after the bout, Tyson announced his return to the ring, taking on Derek Chisora in a December 2022 clash that saw him once again walk away the victor.
      While Paris and Tyson come across as a solid couple, sometimes his behaviour clearly upsets her.
      As he returns from an event in the Isle of Man, Paris, who has been busy making his favourite trifle, has his coat thrust at her as he grunts that he’s going to see his dog, leaving her ranting: “I feel like putting the trifle over his head.”
      After arranging a romantic picnic and boat trip on a Scottish loch, he leaves her stranded in a tiny dinghy because he is annoyed, and he walks out when Athena’s christening party is in full swing, telling his wife he’s going to walk the dog.
      “When I’m low, Paris gets the brunt of it,” he says. “I don’t feel good about that.”
      Paris adds: “Tyson’s moods are on a regular up and down. It is hard to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
      “It does get on our nerves but I love him and I’m going to support him and help him.”
      But she admits she wanted to flee the marriage when his addiction and depression were at their worst.
      I’ve got a giant, 6ft 9in child. I’ll humour my husband and pretend this is normality when really, this is absolute madness.Paris Fury
      She says: “I don’t know what is worse, Tyson coming out of retirement and risking his physical health or staying in retirement and risking his mental health, because we’ve been at the bottom before. Tyson was going through the darkest time of his life.
      “He got massively overweight. The only thing he was interested in was lying in bed most of the day and drinking through the night.
      “At that point I really wanted to leave. But I thought if I left him, Tyson would go through with what he kept saying he wanted to do, which was kill himself.”
      Tyson has always been open about his fragile mental health and admits his 2019 retirement sent him to the brink.
      He says: “I’ve had a lot of dark moments thinking, ‘You’re going to end up in a padded room. You’ve lost your mind’.
      “You have thoughts of not wanting to live any more, even though you’ve got a family and kids and everything to live for.
      “Exercise for me is the key. The moment I stop exercising I go straight back to Hotel California — you can check out any time you want but you can never leave.
      “That’s mental health. It’s not IF you get unwell again, it’s when.”
      Dad John, a former boxer, agrees with Tyson’s view that regular exercise is the only thing that keeps mental illness at bay.
      He adds: “If I don’t train, I can’t function, I can’t think straight.
      “I’ve had it all my life. When I was younger we didn’t know anything about it. We thought a kick up the backside would sort it out.
      “In Tyson’s case, you could have all the fame or fortune the world has got to offer. When mental health kicks in, you can still slip 100 miles an hour to a dark place.”

      At Home With The Furys is released on Netflix on August 16.

      Nice thing in a small package
      THE touching moment Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague tell his brother Tyson and Paris they are expecting a baby is caught on camera in the reality show.
      And Tommy reveals the sweet way the influencer broke the news to him.
      Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury tell his brother Tyson and Paris they are expecting a babyCredit: NETFLIX
      Tommy reveals the sweet way the influencer broke the news to himCredit: NETFLIX
      “I came home and she had a little parcel and I thought it was a designer T-shirt or something,” he tells Tyson.
      “I thought, ‘That’s nice’ and I opened it up and it was a little baby-gro. That was it, it was a shock.”
      The couple, who met in Love Island in 2019 and had baby Bambi in January, also allowed cameras into their home for the documentary.
      Molly-Mae tells about joining the Fury family and how they have welcomed her.
      “I am the only non-traveller ‘wife’ but I’ve never felt out of place,” she says.
      “They’ve been so lovely to me and made me feel part of the family straight away.”
      Paris has nothing but praise for the 24-year-old and says she knows how daunting it can be to fit in. “Molly is a lovely girl,” she says.
      “Coming into the Fury family is intimidating because there are 6ft 9in giants walking around like it’s normal.
      “When I met Tyson they were all welcoming and I think if you come into the family and just embrace it, roll with it, you’ll get along fine.”
      She adds: “Chaos is a way of life for the Fury family. I don’t think you can impose order.”
      However, the different upbringings between the Love Island sweethearts is clear when they discuss the number of kids they want, with Tommy saying he wants ten and Molly-Mae drawing the line at three.
      She also worries about the differences ahead when it comes to raising her daughter, with Tommy insisting that, like Tyson’s children, they will be raised in the “traditional” traveller way.
      While Tyson’s oldest Venezuela left school at 11, as is customary in the community, Molly-Mae is keen for Bambi to complete her formal education.
      Read More on The Sun
      “With Tommy being raised a traveller, he’s had a conversation about our child not going to school but that’s non-optional,” she says.
      “I’ve been raised differently to that and there’s no question of our child not going to school. I just hope that doesn’t cause too many rifts.”
      Tyson poses for a selfie with fansCredit: NETFLIX
      Prince Adonis Amaziah gives the finger on the showCredit: NETFLIX More