Tyson Fury has always been one of the most divisive characters in boxing's current landscape but the negative way in which he has been treated by fight fans, the media and others in the sport on a day-to-day basis has to end.
Last week, Fury was declared "medically unfit" and as a result pulled out of his scheduled rematch with Wladimir Klitschko for a second time, much to the chagrin of fight fans everywhere.
People were quick to speculate that it was down to mental health reasons due to the repeated claims that the boxer has made about being depressed.
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Speculation or not, news like this would usually, or at least you'd hope, be treated with overwhelming sympathy from fans of the sport and the general public as a whole.
Unfortunately, in a testosterone-fueled sport like boxing, you're branded a coward by some lad sat at home in his pants, with a tin of Strongbow in one hand and his phone in the other.
Depression is one of the biggest killers in men under the age of 45 and while there's been no absolute confirmation that depression was the reason behind Fury's pulling out of the fight, anyone mocking him and belittling him for looking out for his health should be thoroughly ashamed and needs to grow the fuck up.
The irony of someone calling the heavyweight champion of the world a coward from behind the safety of their computer...
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Frustration among boxing fans is understandable. Many will have bought tickets and accommodation, while others were genuinely excited to see two of the best heavyweights on the planet go toe-to-toe again.
But boxing is a kill or be killed business at the end of the day and it should always come second to a person's actual well being. No man should step in the ring if not entirely physically or mentally fit.
Tyson Fury is currently receiving professional help for issues that have arisen as a result of a "witch-hunt" against the boxer, according to his uncle and trainer, Peter Fury.
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Speaking to iFLTV he said: "When he won the world title he said to me: 'I came back, I picked up the paper, I expected to be celebrated.' Straight away, he said, the hate campaign started. He was complaining about it a lot but said: 'OK, we've got to accept it. I've won the world title and this is how I'm treated. On many occasions he's asked: 'What's it for? Because if I'm not being credited for the work I've done and what I've achieved, why am I bothering?'
Tyson Fury has been far from the perfect role model at times and he was rightly condemned over some of the misogynistic and homophobic comments he made in the past, but it's the abuse targeted towards Fury that we all seem to miss.
Vile racial abuse about the 28 year-old's Irish Traveller heritage fills his Twitter timeline on a daily basis and why? Because he's an outspoken and confident fighter in a sport where that sells fights? I mean Jesus fucking Christ, imagine if Muhammad Ali had Twitter in his prime...
While many of the headlines that Fury draws are about his antics outside of the ring whether that be dressing as Batman in a press conference or absolutely nailing Aerosmith's I Don't Want To Miss A Thing post-fight, Fury is a criminally underrated boxer with bags of talent and if you ask anyone who's actually met the man from Wilmslow, they'll tell you he's a complete gentleman.
There seems to be something in the mindset of British boxing fans where we apparently hate it when one of our fighters succeeds.
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Last year, Tyson Fury beat and thoroughly outclassed one of the best heavyweights of a generation (undefeated for 11 years) but instead of a pat on the back when he returned home from Dusseldorf he was still branded a 'joke' by certain crowds.
The biggest debate that has surfaced since the rematch was cancelled is whether Fury should be able to keep his belts or give them up due to inactivity.
Should a fighter be stripped of his titles if unable to compete through illness? It's a tricky question, boxing is a business at the end of the day.
Should a fighter be bullied and emasculated for being unable to compete through illness? Absolutely not.
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Like them or not, it's time to get behind our fighters through thick and thin especially in times of need. Otherwise we might see one of Britain's best young sporting talents disappear from the sport for good.
Get well soon Champ.
