Tommy Fury explains why he snubbed I’m A Celebrity as he announces ring return

Tommy Fury was expected to join the I’m A Celeb line-up but will instead fight former UFC title challenger Darren Till in January

Tommy Fury speaks ahead of his fight with Darren Till (
Image: Getty Images)

Tommy Fury chose the ring over the jungle in an attempt to put the worst year of his life behind him.

Fury, 25, will fight for the first time in 15 months when he takes on former UFC star Darren Till in Manchester in January. The brother of former heavyweight world champion Tyson had been recovering from hand surgery to fix a four-year niggle. He then endured a very public break-up with fiancee Molly-Mae Hague in August which saw him forced to deny accusations of cheating.

Fury looked set to appear on this year’s I’m A Celebrity but instead accepted an offer to fight Till, 31, who will be making his boxing debut. And he told Mirror Fighting: “I’m A Celeb is an amazing show and it’s something I want to do in the future but at the end of the day I am what I am, I’m a fighter and I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.

“It’s been a long year, it’s been a tough year; it’s been the hardest year of my life because I’ve not been able to box. It was vital that I ended up in the ring sooner rather than later. It means everything to get back in the ring, especially to start off my year like that.”Fury began his career fighting journeymen before switching to the influencer scene to beat both Jake Paul and KSI last year.

But he insists he hasn’t closed the door on the traditional boxing route. “You can never say what is going to happen,” he added. I’m 25 years old, years after this has happened, if I’m there being told to jump in for a world title shot, of course I’m going to take it.

“I want to be remembered for doing it my way; I got in, got my money, got out and had some entertaining fights along the way. I beat the best known guys on the scene and Darren Till is a proper fighting man. I like the fact he has a fighting background; he’s going to come for a fight, something KSI never did.”

Meanwhile, Till vowed to “obliterate” Fury as their press conference descended into a farce when Fury’s dad John threw water at his son’s opponent. “No one wanted to fight me for two years and my manager said fight Tommy, I signed it, I don’t know how many tickets I’ve sold, how much I’m getting paid, I’m here to obliterate Tommy,” said Till.

“I haven’t seen much of him, I know he’s fought a few pros but not seen much of him. I’m just going to obliterate him, do an absolute number on him, walk him down and obliterate him. And he knows it. No one in here is a threat to me. I’m an MMA fighter so if I was to kick or elbow you in the face, I will and no one will do anything about it.

“End of the day, if I can’t beat you, I’ll just kick you in your face, how about that? I’m going to kick you straight in the face, you won’t know what’s hit you. If I’m in the fight and I’m losing, I’m kicking him in the face. You’re an empty head.”