Fury has swapped allegiance for Soccer Aid (Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Tommy Fury will swap the boxing ring for the football pitch tonight when he takes part in Soccer Aid 2023 at Old Trafford.
The English fighter, who is the half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has a perfect record of nine wins from nine since making his debut in the sport in December 2018.
And so with much expected of the sportsman as he tries his hand at the beautiful game, viewers will be left surprised at the sight of Fury running out for the World XI instead of England.
But why exactly is Fury playing for the World XI at Soccer Aid?
Let’s take a look.
Why is Tommy Fury playing for World XI?
Fury, who was born in Manchester in 1999, is playing for the World XI because his mother Chantal is of Mauritian descent.
Fury will hope to transfer his boxing skills to football (Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Chantal has largely kept out of the limelight during her son’s meteoric rise in recent years, but she did make a public appearance on Love Island in 2019 when Tommy was on the show.
Fury’s father, John, is a former professional boxer who now trains his son.
Fury will not be the only member of the World XI team who is playing for them instead of their native England.
Ben Foster, who featured for England at the World Cup in 2014, will be in goal for the defending champions with David James and Paddy McGuinness playing for England instead.
What has Tommy Fury said about playing in Soccer Aid?
Fury has revealed there is one member of the World XI squad he is particularly excited about playing alongside – eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt.
Fury told the PA news agency: ‘I used to watch Usain in all the Olympics and to be playing alongside him on a football pitch will be absolutely incredible.
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‘I think for the first 10 or 15 seconds I’ll be a little bit starstruck until he tells me to get in position. But I’ll try and do him proud.
‘My granddad is mad obsessed with football and ever since I was a kid he always used to take me to United games. He always used to watch United so I grew up around them.
‘It’s having fun and taking part, that’s what counts and I’m sure we’ll put on a great show.’
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He’s not representing England on this occasion.