Tyson Fury reveals why he chose Thailand for emotional charity fight as Gypsy King vows to help vulnerable children

TYSON FURY says his latest comeback has nothing to do with money or titles. Instead, the Gypsy King has chosen to fight in Thailand to raise funds for children in need through the Father Ray Foundation. Tyson Fury will be fighting Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, this Friday Credit: Getty Images Fury and Wach will compete for the inaugural WBC Humanitarian Belt Credit: AFP via Getty Images Fury faces Mariusz Wach in Pattaya on Friday night in a bout for the inaugural WBC Humanitarian Belt, with proceeds from the event going towards supporting disadvantaged youngsters. And speaking to SunSport exclusively, the former heavyweight champion explained why staging a fight in Thailand meant so much to him. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! Fury has spent much of the past eight months training in the country and says the people and culture inspired him to give something back. He will donate all proceeds from his fight with Wach – amounting to $250,000 – to the Father Ray Foundation in Thailand. Asked about the inaugural WBC METTA Humanitarian Belt and what the fight represents, Fury said the event was about much more than what happens inside the ring. He told SunSport: “Yeah, it’s for the WBC humanitarian belt, that’s all the funds that we receive for the fight, from the tickets and what have you. “They’ll go to a charity called the Father Ray Foundation, supporting children with mental health, mental disorders, mental problems, starving kids, homeless, all that sort of stuff, whatever they’ve got. “A very good cause for sure.” Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Fury will be donating $250,000 to the Father Ray Foundation Credit: Getty Images When asked why he wanted to stage such an event in Thailand, Fury said the decision came naturally after spending months living and training there. He added: “I’ve been training here since December. Great people, good place, give something back. “I thought on a big show, I’d never had a proper fight, never had a big fight here, a boxing fight.” The 37-year-old has fought all over the world during his remarkable career, including in Britain, Germany, America and Saudi Arabia. But this week’s contest marks the first major professional fight of his career in Thailand. While Fury is expected to face Anthony Joshua later this year if both men win their respective fights this weekend, he insists this week is about something much bigger than future mega-fights. The Gypsy King has repeatedly spoken about the importance of helping others, particularly after opening up about his own battles with mental health earlier in his career. Now he hopes Friday night’s event can make a lasting difference to children who need support the most. Victory over Wach would keep Fury on course for a blockbuster showdown with Joshua in November. Tyson Fury vs Mariusz Wach - all the info Tyson Fury goes punch-for-punch with Mariusz Wach in Thailand The Home of Boxing in 2026 There's a massive year of boxing ahead! It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring. Anthony Joshua returns to the ring in July to face Kristian Prenga ahead of a potential blockbuster bout against Tyson Fury later in the year. The Gypsy King also features in a warm-up bout the day before AJ, as he takes on Mariusz Wach in Thailand. And Moses Itauma returns for his toughest fight yet against Filip Hrgovic in August. Here’s all the big fights coming up… July Fri 24 – Tyson Fury vs Mariusz Wach Sat 25 – Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga – DAZN PPV Sun 26 – Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu August Sat 1 – Pierce O’Leary vs Mark Chamberlain – DAZN Sat 15 – Claressa Shields vs Kaye Scott – DAZN Sat 29 – Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic – DAZN September Sat 12 – Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia – DAZN *If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenue. But regardless of what comes next inside the ropes, Fury believes this week has already been a success if it helps improve the lives of those who need it most. For the Gypsy King, the biggest win in Pattaya won’t necessarily come when the final bell rings. It will come in the lives changed by what happens afterwards. Comment now