Is The Gypsy King telling the full story when it comes to nutrition?
Tyson’s Fury’s claims that dieting and sport science are “bullshit” have been labelled “confusing” and “strange” by an expert in the field.
During a recent Instagram live, Fury said he paid no attention to diet or exercise science.
Fury claimed: “In boxing, computer science and technology I don’t think works because, take me for instance, I’m fat, I’m bald, people say I’m out of shape. I don’t do any of that b******s with computers and numbers on a screen but yet I always win.
“So it obviously means f**k all. There’s a lot of fighters that suggest that as well.”
"I'm fat. I'm bald. I don't do any of that bollocks with computers. But then, I always win."
Safe to say @Tyson_Fury isn't a fan of sports science 😂 pic.twitter.com/n3flQ8DPvo
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOE_UK) November 29, 2021
Fury continued his tirade by hitting out at rival British heavyweight Anthony Joshua, a man known to abide by cutting-edge diet and strength and conditioning principles.
“When you look at the likes of Anthony Joshua who follows all them science rules and then you look at Andy Ruiz who didn’t do anything apart from eat Snickers for the full two weeks that he had…
“He went in there and knocked him out. Probably didn’t even train for the rematch and took him the distance.”
Fury’s comments have since been criticised by Dr Lewis Gough, a Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science at Birmingham City University.
"Despite him saying he's fat, bald and lazy, he's actually an elite athlete."@Tyson_Fury's comments on nutrition are confusing and strange, according to sport scientist @lewisgough pic.twitter.com/YzzHCHHxVO
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) December 9, 2021
Speaking exclusively to JOE, Gough said he found Fury’s remarks to be “confusing” and “strange”.
“It’s a really confusing statement from Tyson,” Gough said, “because he does engage in sport science and nutrition to prepare for his fights. It’s just about whether he isn’t explicitly aware of it himself.”
Gough points to a tweet posted by Fury earlier this year in which he claimed “nutrition is the key”, while extending thanks to his nutritionist George Lockhart.
Nutrition is the 🔑
Thanks @LOCKloaded for devising the ultimate ‘30 Day Plan’ 💪🏽 https://t.co/1Kt2xcAy7u(Posted by TF MGMT) https://t.co/jNK2YRhbGJ
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) June 3, 2021
Lockhart had told JOE how Fury lost 30 pounds in 30 days following his bespoke diet plan.
“It doesn’t seem right that he’s calling it [nutrition] out, but at the same time praising it,” added Gough.
Dr Gough believes it may just be an example of Tyson trying to irk his biggest rivals, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
“If you think about Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, they do look spectacular in terms of their physiques.
“We know that boxing isn’t just about physiology and nutrition. It’s also a technical sport, not purely down to fitness and physique.”
Fury knows this all too well after recently defeating Wilder in their third trilogy bout in Las Vegas.
Deontay Wilder may have a lower body fat percentage than Tyson Fury, but it mattered little when The Gypsy King knocked him out in their third trilogy bout on October 9th, 2021. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)Gough said: “We’ve got to remember as well that Tyson Fury, despite him saying that he’s ‘bald, fat and lazy’, is an elite athlete. He is very fit and fitter than most athletes you will see.”
Bulging biceps and ripped abs don’t necessarily correspond to peak physical fitness, it would seem.
“Tyson isn’t everything he claims to be to the public audience because he is a very talented and fit individual – even if he’s carrying slightly more body fat than his two main rivals.”
Carrying more body fat might hinder your chances of success on the bodybuilding stage if you harbour Schwarzenegger-like ambitions, but in the boxing ring it is a different story altogether.
“It isn’t necessarily a bad thing in boxing because it gives him that weight advantage,” Gough said.
Fury also claimed in a recent interview with JOE to have had two pints prior to his first fight with Wilder.
Spoke to @Tyson_Fury yesterday
He said he had a few pints before the first Wilder fight and has been advising Tommy to do the same 🍻pic.twitter.com/UbIGY7s0Nk
— Alex Roberts (@alexj_roberts) November 25, 2021
Whilst doubting whether this actually occurred, Dr Gough doesn’t think it is as shocking an admission as you might believe.
“I’m 99.9% sure it won’t have any benefit, but the harm it can do is fairly limited. It’s only two pints in an athlete that is 6’6 or 6’7, between 18 and 20 stone.
“That amount of alcohol in that frame probably wouldn’t have much effect. If it was a 60 kilogram cyclist, then that might be slightly different.”
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