When Tyson Fury was born three months premature and weighing just 1 pound, doctors predicted that he may not survive.
Fury was born in 1988 when medical technology was not as advanced as it is today in helping very premature infants. But Fury beat the odds and survived. Today, the 27-year-old is a celebrated heavyweight boxing champion in the UK, according to BBC Sports.
The British media outlet shared Fury’s birth story while announcing his nomination for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Fury recently made history in the UK when he defeated former world boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. Fury, who calls himself “Gypsy King,” has a record of being unbeaten in 25 fights, according to the report.
However, Fury recently upset some people after making a comment about several controversial issues including abortion, the Daily Mirror reports.
Fury told a news outlet last month: “There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home. … one of them is abortion … Who would have thought in the ’50s and ’60s that [abortion] would be legalized?”
Though reports don’t indicate it, his early birth may have influenced his pro-life position. Many people oppose abortions because they have witnessed babies like Fury defy the odds and live.
Premature babies are surviving earlier and earlier outside the womb, thanks to expansions in medical technology.
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a new report revealing that babies born between 23-28 weeks gestation are surviving more than ever before, LifeNews reported in September.
Because of inspiring stories like Fury’s, more people are recognizing that unborn babies deserve the right to life.
