Fury handpicks Liverpool street artist for poignant mural
Heavyweight boxing champion, Tyson Fury, commissioned a street artist from Liverpool to create a mural at his new gym.
Fury, who holds the WBC version of the heavyweight championship, hand picked Liverpool man John Culshaw to create a scene from his victory over American fighter Deontay Wilder.
John, 33, who lost an arm in a childhood accident, has enjoyed a growing reputation in the city over the last year after completing a number of eye catching murals.
Last summer he completed a mural of the Liverpool FC manager on the front of Klopp’s Boot Room in Anfield.
But the boxing fan was thrilled when he was told that Tyson Fury wanted him to complete a frieze at his Fury foundation gym in Morecambe.
John said to the ECHO : “I created a mural of Tyson at a gym in Ormskirk called Conquest Fitness which is run by Kristian Blacklock.
“Tyson trains there and loved it, and then Kristian told me that the big man wanted me personally to create something similar at his new gym in Morecambe.
“But I had to get it done over one weekend. I drove up on the Saturday and Tyson was there, waiting for me. He wanted to know if I needed anything and I said yes, I need some ladders.
“He just went out and got them for me. I thought he might have sent someone else but he did it himself. He was just like one of the lads.
“We had a chat about the project and I showed him a still of the Wilder fight which I wanted to recreate. He said yes and that was it really.
“He was really pleased with it on the Monday and I was just relieved that I managed to finish it on time and did not let him down.”
Fury posted a short video on Instagram in which he unveiled the art work.
He said: “What a painting John. Fair play, that is impressive. Very impressive.”
Fury is now in training for his much anticipated third fight against Deontay Wilder after stripping the American of his title during an explosive encounter earlier this year.
The highly lucrative re-match is expected take place later this year or at the start of 2021.
John said: “Yes I am hoping my work can inspire Tyson during this camp and win again against Wilder.”
John, who grew up in the Page Moss area, was hit and nearly killed by a speeding car when he was nine-years-old.
Although John lost his arm in the accident he has refused to let the injury get in the way of his life.
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John later trained as a painter and decorator, and then became involved in street art. He uses spray paint to create murals and has worked across Liverpool and Manchester.
Last year John received a lovely compliment from Steven Gerrard after he created an art work of the former Liverpool captain and Peter Reid at a barbershop in Huyton.
John has previously told the ECHO that he would love to create a giant mural of a boxing icon on the outside of his uncle’s gym in north Liverpool.