- published: 07 May 2016
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Luke Tyson Fury (born 1 June 1988) is an English professional boxer of Irish heritage who fights in the heavyweight division. Having initially been denied the opportunity to fight for Ireland at the Olympic Games, Fury is now permitted to represent both England and Ireland, after tracing his family lineage to relatives in Belfast. He has represented both his native England and Ireland at amateur level and won the ABA championship in 2008 before turning professional later that year. He is the current Irish heavyweight champion and former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion.
Fury was born in Wilmslow, Cheshire, England to Irish Traveller parents. Tyson's family has a long history in boxing and bare knuckle boxing. His father is from Tuam, County Galway and his maternal grandmother is from County Tipperary. He is a cousin of fellow Irish boxer Andy Lee. His father named him "Tyson" after the then world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
As an amateur, Fury represented both Ireland and England. Fury represented Ireland three times at international level. He initially fought out of the Holy Family Boxing Club in Belfast, Northern Ireland and later switched to the Smithboro Club in County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. In a double international duel against an experienced Polish team in 2007, the Irish team lost 12-6 overall; Fury, however, was victorious in both his fights in Rzeszów and Białystok. In another Irish match against the USA, Fury won his bout by knock-out.