The Fury family is one of the most iconic names in the boxing world. John Fury, the colorful patriarch, had a professional career that included 13 fights. Despite his involvement in the sport, his earnings from boxing were surprisingly modest.
John Fury began his professional boxing career in 1987, debuting with a loss. However, he soon bounced back with a string of seven consecutive wins. At one point, he was ranked third in the country. Unfortunately, his career took a downturn with losses to former WBO champions Henry Akinwande and Steve Garber, leading to his retirement with a record of 8-4-1.
Despite never reaching world-class status, John Fury’s total earnings from boxing amounted to approximately £4,000. In stark contrast, Fury claimed that he made significantly more from bare-knuckle boxing, where he reportedly earned £100,000. In his autobiography, When Fury Takes Over, John reflects on his career and the financial struggles he faced:
“Sometimes I naively speculate how far I could have gone if I had the benefits of sponsorship, proper guidance, and career support, and didn’t have to work two jobs just to keep my family financially afloat. I didn’t make real money from Queensberry Rules boxing; in 13 professional fights over an 8-year span, I earned less than £4,000. Fighters often make excuses after losing, but some of my challenges were laughably one-sided like when I fought Neil Malpass my first ten-rounder, and at that point, I had only fought a few bouts and completed six two-minute rounds, whereas he had over forty professional fights under his belt. I narrowly lost on points.”
This modest income from professional boxing is starkly contrasted by the fortunes of his sons, Tyson and Tommy Fury. Tyson Fury, a two-time world heavyweight champion, stands as a towering figure in modern boxing. His promoter, Bob Arum, has suggested that Tyson could earn over $100 million (approximately £79 million) for his fight against Oleksandr Usyk. Additionally, Tyson signed a $100 million (approximately £79 million) deal with Top Rank in 2021, and Forbes estimates his net worth at around $62 million (approximately £49.36 million).
Tommy Fury, though less experienced in the ring compared to his father, has also found significant financial success. Leveraging his boxing skills and social media influence, Tommy claims to have earned about $25 million (approximately £19.9 million) from his ventures.
Despite his modest earnings from professional boxing, John Fury’s life has transformed through the achievements of his sons. Thanks to Tyson and Tommy’s success, John now enjoys a wealthy lifestyle. His sons’ accomplishments in the ring have brought immense pride and financial security to the Fury family, proving that one does not necessarily have to become a legendary fighter to enjoy substantial earnings from the sport.
