Tyson Fury’s near neighbor William Birchall has revealed the influence of the returning heavyweight champion has helped shape his path.
Birchall, also from Morecambe in the north of England, boxes in Liverpool on Saturday hoping to go to 4-0 (4 KOs) against Caine Singh.
“Tyson lives six doors down from us – from my mum and dad’s place,” said Birchall. “I’ve seen him ... I can’t remember how many times I've spoke to the man. I’ve spoke to him numerous times. He’s a lovely man. He’s a gentleman. He’s done unbelievable things in the sport.
“When I see people and they say, ‘Oh, where are you from?’ I say, ‘I’m from Morecambe.' They go, ‘Do you know Tyson?’ It’s hard to explain [Tyson Fury] from off the cameras to on cameras. He’s a big, friendly giant. He’s a lovely man to speak to.
“One of the reasons why I’ve come back to boxing – no one actually knows this – I've not even said this to many people, but I’ve seen him in the barbershop, him and Jazza [Dickens]. I’ve seen Jazza Dickens one day and he says, ‘Why have you quit boxing, son? Come back to boxing, even if it's just to get fit. Just get up in the gym and train.’ And then, not even 24 hours later, I’ve gone to get my hair cut in the barbershop and I’ve seen Tyson and he goes, ‘What are you doing, you waste of space? You’re being a fucking idiot. What are you doing?’
“I got in the gym and I’ve never looked back, and I’ve just been knocking them out ever since.”
The words of Fury and Dickens stirred Birchall, who admits he had been going down the wrong path and mixing with the wrong people.
“Not a lot of people know this because I don't really like speaking about it. I was bad with my mental health,” he continued. “I was in a bad place and I had bad anxiety, bad depression. I was in a real bad place and I've come back to boxing and I’ve not looked back since. I made a promise to my brothers that I would start it with them and I’d end it with them. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to do great things in the sport and we’re all going to be world champions one day.”
He is 25 now and knows he has some lost years to make up for and he knows training regularly has helped put him on an even keel, psychologically, and he’s motivated by the careers of his fighting brothers, Leighton and Nelson.
“We’re all going to say we’re the best,” he said.
“That’s probably making each other better. Even when I go and get married, my brothers will be my best man, but I won't let them sign my papers because I won’t pick between them. I’ll have my dad or something sign my papers. I’m the big brother. I wouldn't say this and that, but Leighton is a freak of nature. The kid's got mad skills. He’s unbelievable. But Nelson would be an absolute nightmare to fight. The kid is on your chest. He will not give you a second to breathe. He hits like I don’t know what. I won’t pick between them, but they’re both unbelievable. I’m not just saying that because of my little brothers. They're one of the main reasons why I come back to boxing. We’ve pushed each other on so much.”
Birchall, who had around 70 amateur fights and only stopped a couple of opponents, is keen to make an impression in Liverpool, and has taken inspiration from watching the likes of Naseem Hamed and Roy Jones.
“I’ve got my own style, obviously,” he said. “I’m my own person, do you know what I mean? “But I’m a switcher. I’m fun to watch. I let my hands go. I just focus on myself and do what I do.”
