When Paris met Tyson Fury

His wife Paris has always been by his side since they started dating as teenagers, typically attending most of his fights to provide morale support. She has played a significant role in his career, being fondly described by the media as his “biggest cheerleader”.

Supporting each other through thick and thin, including Tyson’s well-documented battle with depression, when he admitted feeling like he “didn’t want to live any more”; they’ve been married for 17 years and have seven children together. The boxer has spoken out about his mental health issues to help others on many occasions. In a poignant interview during Mental Health Awareness Week in May 2024, he said: “It’s very important to keep talking about it, to try to smash the stigma on mental health.”

Tyson and Paris Fury have become role models for young people, not only as living proof that a young person with ambition and talent can make it in the boxing world, but also as one of the most happily married celebrity couples in the world.

Tyson Fury childhood

Born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, in August 1988 to John and Amber Fury, Tyson is proud to be of Irish Traveller heritage, hence his nickname, The Gypsy King. His family has a long history in boxing, with his father having competed in the 1980s, turning professional in 1987.

One of six brothers, Tyson was born three months premature, weighing only 1lb. Doctors gave him little chance of survival, hence his parents chose the name “Tyson” after American boxer Mike Tyson, as John believed their son was a “fighter”, like Mike. He defied the odds and grew up to be 6ft 9 ins tall, weighing around 16 stone!

He started boxing at the age of ten and was trained by his father for 13 years, until 2011. Leaving school at 11 to join three of his brothers and their father Tarmacking roads, Tyson grew up to represent both England and Ireland as an amateur boxer. He was ranked the world number three as a junior, winning the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and the EU Junior Championship.

When Tyson was making his mark on the world of amateur boxing, Paris Mulroy was growing up in Doncaster, Yorkshire, where she was born in December 1989. One of four siblings, she has described her “traditional lifestyle” as a child, saying: “I am a Traveller, I am a Gypsy. I was brought up in caravans when I was a little girl.” In her memoir, Love and Fury, Paris described how she had a strict upbringing as the daughter of Irish Travellers who were devout practising Catholics. As a teenager, she worked as a waitress in a local bar, but didn’t date boys due to her family beliefs.

First meeting

The first famous meeting between Paris and Tyson Fury took place when they were 15 and 17 years old respectively, at the wedding of mutual friends. They were introduced by Tyson’s Aunt Theresa. In a recent interview with the Mirror, Paris recalled it wasn’t a big success, as Tyson told her she “looked like a Sindy doll”. She said, “It upset me badly, because Sindy is a second rate Barbie!” At the time, Tyson was already making his mark in the world of boxing, but following the “Sindy doll” comment, Paris decided he looked like “Farmer Giles”. She also found it impossible to believe he was only 17, due to his height and beard. Describing him as being “built like a machine”, Paris said to herself, “You’re not a young boy … I’m going!”

Their second meeting the following year, at Paris’s 16th birthday party, was more successful. She hadn’t been permitted to date before the age of 16, but despite Tyson asking her out several times after the party, she didn’t agree straight away. However, she later admitted, “I liked him from the beginning. He was so different from other boys.”

After finally agreeing to go out with Tyson, Paris said their first date was to the cinema to see King Kong. She later learned he had told his parents afterwards that she was the girl he would marry: his first love. However, their traditions and shared values meant they had to observe celibacy before marriage. In the early days of their relationship, they didn’t see each other on weekdays, as Tyson had to take his training as a boxer seriously, so they met up only at weekends. “I would always be so excited at the thought of seeing him,” Paris admitted. “He’s the only boyfriend I have had.”

Dream wedding

Even after the couple got engaged, Tyson had to sleep in a caravan at Paris’s parents’ home, while she slept inside the house. They weren’t permitted to spend the night together until they married in November 2008, at a romantic ceremony attended by 300 guests at St. Peter-in-Chains Catholic Church in Doncaster.

The couple now have four sons and three daughters: Venezuela, Prince John James, Prince Tyson II, Valencia, Prince Adonis Amaziah, Athena and Prince Rico Paris.

Tyson’s mental challenges

Over the years, Tyson has struggled with his mental health and has reportedly been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. In 2015, following his victory against Wladimir Klitschko, he sank into a depression, subsequently announcing his retirement from boxing. Afterwards, he stated he’d felt a loss of purpose and “didn’t see the point in anything.” However, with Paris’s love and support, he battled back to good mental health and peak physical fitness to resume his boxing career. His professional record to date is 34 wins including 24 by knockout, two losses by judges’ decision and one draw.

When is Tyson Fury’s next fight?

Tyson announced his retirement again, at the age of 36, in January 2025 on social media, dashing fans’ hopes of a heavyweight clash with Anthony Joshua. His decision followed two defeats against Oleksandr Usyk in 2024 – the second being a unanimous points loss in December in Saudi Arabia. At the time, pundits said they weren’t taking his announcement too seriously yet, as he had retired in the past, only to make a comeback. However, as of early June, he was showing no signs of making a U-turn on his decision.