Tyson Fury admits to using lots of cocaine and alcohol

Some people like Tyson Fury's bizarre antics, some people hated them, and some others just didn't take him all that seriously to begin with. Whatever you think of him, Fury has been sort of a divisive figure in boxing but is starting to come clean about some of his personal demons -- particularly after pulling out of his rematch against Wladimir Klitschko due to mental health reasons and then failing a VADA drug test.

In a candid interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Fury openly admits to being a heavy user of both cocaine and alcohol, saying: "I'm going through a lot of personal demons, trying to shake them off." (Fury says that he was three-days sober at the time of Monday's interview).

Among many other things, Fury mentions that many of his highly controversial comments have been his way of lashing out against a culture he views as having discriminated against him his entire life, especially after he took several world titles off the hands of Klitschko last year.

He continues on to say that he believes that no matter what his accomplishments are in the sport of boxing, he'll never be truly accepted for who he is. To substantiate his claims Fury cites his treatment from British media, what he calls unfair treatment from boxing authorities, and even an instance where he and his family were recently refused service at a restaurant due to his heritage -- all evidence of the intolerance he feels directed towards him.

Fury also specifically takes aim at the British Boxing Board of Control and other boxing authorities for their "hatred" of Travelers and gypsies.

"So now they're saying I took some cocaine and whatever. Listen if I had some smack I'd take it. If I had heroin I'd take that, never mind cocaine, for what they've done to me. It's a travesty what they've done. I want to expose them for what they are. The British Boxing Board of Controls is in on it too. They're all in it together. The drug testing companies are in on it as well. If I tested positive in February 2015 for drugs [months before his match with Klitschko] why let me fight the long reigning champion and leave him of all his belts in November? Why not strip me in February?"

These strong feelings, combined with his inner demons, really make up a recipe for disaster. And when pressed on the cocaine issue, to see if he was suggesting that the results were either incorrect or falsified, Fury admits that he has used a lot of the substance.

"Listen, I've done a lot of things in my life. I've done lots of cocaine. Lots of it. Why shouldn't I take cocaine? It's my life isn't it? I can do what I want. Yeah, I have done cocaine. Plenty of people have done cocaine as well. What the fuck has that got to do with anything? That ain't a performance enhancing drug. Am I not allowed to have a life now as well? Do they want to take my personal life off me too? I've not been in a gym for months. I've not been training. I've been going through depression. I just don't want to live anymore, if you know what I'm saying. I've had total enough of it. They've forced me to the breaking edge. Never mind cocaine. I just didn't care. I don't want to live anymore. So cocaine is a little minor thing compared to not wanting to live anymore."

Fury mentions that back in May, when his depression became really bad, he abandoned his training camp as he prepared to rematch Wladimir Klitschko, which kicked-off a steep decent into these bad habits that culminated in his failed VADA drug test.

"From that day forward, I've never done any training," he says. "I've been out drinking, Monday to Friday to Sunday, and taking cocaine. I can't deal with it and the only thing that helps me is when I get drunk out of me mind."

Fury goes on to talk about his long battles with depression, which he's dealt with for years, and currently receiving treatment for, as well as admitting to having suicidal thoughts.

"They say I've got a version of bipolar," he says. "I'm a manic depressive. I just hope someone kills me before I kill myself."

The world champ freely admits that he's in a really bad place in his life right now, saying that he's not even sure if he'll see out the rest of the year. And although he's currently receiving treatment for his depression, he believes that there's nothing that can be done for him and his condition is incurable. He says all the money, fame, and glory in the world doesn't mean a thing if you're not happy. Fury is not happy, says there's no light at the end of the tunnel, and reaffirms that he no longer wants to live.

Fury is likely to be stripped of his world titles due to his failed drug test, but really that's insignificant in comparison to the much deeper issues he's dealing with in his own mind. All this boxing stuff is really secondary to a real life crisis. I could care much less about whether or not Fury fights again or what belts he holds as much as I'd care to see him be well again. Best of luck to Fury in his recovery.