The Battling Furys – Exploring Historical Legends and Familial Connections

The Furys present a strong argument for being recognized as the most accomplished fighting family.

When Tyson Fury entered the professional boxing scene in 2008 at the age of 20, he was known as the son of former boxer John Fury, but the family’s ties to boxing extend much further.

Throughout the years, Tyson’s siblings and cousins have embarked on their own boxing journeys. Who are the members of the Fury family involved in the sport, and what have they accomplished?

Tyson Fury

Tyson, named after former world champion Mike Tyson, achieved a significant victory over Wladimir Klitschko by decision for three world titles in 2015 but did not defend the WBA, IBF, and WBO belts as he stepped away from the sport due to issues with alcohol, drugs, and mental health.

In 2018, Tyson made his return to boxing, resulting in a draw against Deontay Wilder in a memorable match, before defeating him in the seventh round of their rematch to claim the WBC title in 2020. After three successful defenses, Tyson lost the title in an undisputed match against Oleksandr Usyk by decision and has not competed since losing a rematch to Usyk, also by decision, in December 2024. He is currently preparing for another return.

With two stoppage victories over Wilder and a decision win against Wladimir Klitschko, Fury is regarded as one of the top heavyweights alongside Anthony Joshua of the past decade, trailing only Usyk.

John Fury

Tyson’s father, known as ‘Gypsy John,’ fought professionally during the 1980s and 1990s, finishing with a record of 8-4-1. John spent time in prison during parts of Tyson’s early career after being convicted of injuring another man in a street altercation but was released in time to witness his son become world champion in 2015. He has been present in his son’s corner for fights, although not in recent times.

Andy Lee

Tyson’s most accomplished relative, a retired world champion who has assisted in his recent bouts. Lee (35-3-1, 24 KOs), hailing from Limerick, Ireland, was a skilled boxer who made one defense of the world middleweight title. He trained in America under Manny Steward and also in London as a professional, retiring in 2017.

He trained alongside Fury’s rival and future opponent Wladimir Klitschko at training camps with Steward in Austria.

“Tyson is my second cousin as our grandmothers were sisters,” Lee stated to ESPN in 2014 prior to winning the WBO world middleweight title.

In addition to being a respected trainer, Lee serves as a boxing analyst on television.

Hughie Fury

Hughie (31-3, 18 KOs), 31, made his professional debut in 2013 and fought on the same cards as his second cousin Tyson during a period when they aimed to challenge the dominance of the Ukrainian brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, who held all four world titles at that time.

While Tyson became a two-time world champion, Hughie has yet to capture a world title. In 2017, Joseph Parker defeated Hughie by a majority decision to retain his WBO heavyweight title in Manchester.

Hughie trained with Tyson until 2016 when both were charged with testing positive for a banned substance. Tyson subsequently retired before returning to the sport in 2018, and since then, they have not trained together.

Hughie held the British title in 2018, and despite achieving eight consecutive wins since 2019, he remains outside the world’s top 15.

Peter Fury

Hughie’s father Peter trained Tyson during the early stages of his career, up until the 2015 victory over Wladimir Klitschko in Germany.

He had only one professional fight (a stoppage loss in 1988) before serving time in prison for drug-related offenses. As Tyson’s trainer, he was instrumental in the victory over Klitschko. Peter is a respected trainer who has worked with notable fighters, including former women’s world champion Savannah Marshall and his son Hughie.

Tommy Fury

Tyson’s half-brother Tommy (11-0, 4 KOs), 26, is the most recognized among his siblings and cousins.

Tommy gained notoriety through the reality TV series Love Island and has secured victories over social media personalities Jake Paul and KSI, but he is still far from contention for a world title.

Tommy asserts that he is a serious professional boxer now competing at cruiserweight after moving up from light heavyweight. He achieved a sixth-round points victory in May and has only fought twice in three years since defeating Paul by split decision.

Roman Fury

Roman (6-0, 3 KOs), from Salford, is Tyson’s half-brother and Tommy’s full brother.

Roman defeated Kevin Greenwood in the fourth round of a heavyweight match earlier in January. He turned professional in 2022 without any amateur experience. Like Tommy, he has significant progress to make to contend for major titles.

Phill Fury

Tyson’s cousin was a welterweight who last competed in 2012, concluding with a record of 13-3 (2 KOs). He never fought for a notable title.

Nathan Gorman

Heavyweight Gorman (19-3, 13 KOs), a second cousin of Tyson, previously trained with Ricky Hatton, the former world junior welterweight and welterweight champion, in the Manchester area. He is also the great-nephew of Bartley Gorman, a notorious bare-knuckle fighter.

“I never spent much time with Tyson growing up, but I was aware of him and knew he was training at Ricky Hatton’s gym,” Gorman told ESPN in 2019.

“We got to know each other a bit better there, and the things he does in training showed me why I consider him the best heavyweight on the planet.”

Gorman has not fought in two years. He was stopped by Fabio Wardley (now WBO world champion) in three rounds in November 2011 and was knocked out in five rounds by Daniel Dubois in 2019, both in British title bouts.

Hosea Burton

Tyson’s first cousin, who grew up alongside him at the same campsite during their childhood. Hosea (28-4, 12 KOs), 37, from Manchester, was a skilled boxer who won the British light heavyweight title in 2016 but has not fought since May 2023.

James Dean Fury

An amateur boxer (10-1), 20, from Manchester, is Tyson’s cousin and has competed at a high level as a super middleweight.

Walter Fury

The Lancaster-based junior middleweight (3-1) and a cousin of Tyson, 28, lost his first professional fight in July to journeyman Kristaps Zulgis and has not competed since.

Bartley Gorman

Tyson claims that one of his ancestors was the unbeaten bare-knuckle champion known as ‘King of the Gypsies,’ who passed away in 2002. He remained undefeated for 20 years until 1992.

Legendary tales about Gorman have since emerged. “Bartley even sparred with the legendary Muhammad Ali,” his great-nephew Nathan Gorman told the BBC. “How incredible is that?”

Uriah Burton

Tyson’s great-uncle was a well-known bare-knuckle fighter. Tyson’s mother, Amber Burton, is Uriah’s niece.

“He was described as an ogre, possessing the strength of five men,” Bartley Gorman wrote in his book Bareknuckle Memoirs of the Undefeated Champion.

“He defeated opponents two at a time. He would stop at nothing and fight to the death. He seemed like a figure from the Dark Ages, more myth than man. Only when I got to know him did I realize the stories were accurate.”

Tyson remarked about Burton to the Irish Times in 2013: “He foretold my future a year before I was born.

“I am fighting royalty. Uriah is on my father’s side, and Bartley Gorman, the other undefeated champion, is on my mother’s side. I have gypsy kings on both sides of my family.”