BY TIM PARSONS
Heavyweight boxing has an interesting fight ahead; one in which many strong words are already being uttered.
Yesterday, Tyson Fury accused Wladimir Klitschko of being as charismatic as his underwear when the two met in Düsseldorf on Tuesday to hype up their October clash in Germany. Klitschko holds the WBA, IBF and WBO and has reigned unbeaten for a whole 11 years.
“It’s a personal mission for me to rid boxing of a boring person like you,” Fury boldly said. “I’m interested in all of them belts you’ve got on there. I’m interested in breaking your face in. You’re boring, I want to rid you out of the heavyweight division.
“Your jab-and-grab style – surely all of Europe wants to see you get beaten and all of Europe and the rest of the world will see you get beaten.
“You have about as much charisma as my underpants – zero, none. You go on – you’re a sports psychologist, you speak 37 different languages, so what? You’re still a robotic person. You’re still not exciting and fun to watch. I am the new blood in the division, you are an old man.”
“I believe he has never faced a challenge like me ever before and I don’t think he will face a challenge like me again,” Fury said. “I’m a unique fighter, one of a kind, there’s never been someone like me before in history. A fighter like me only comes around every 1,000 years.” Well Fury’s claim that fighters like him come once every 1,000 years is nothing short of a ridiculous statement designed to encourage controversy by sounding controversial. It lacks the appeal it is intended to have.
Klitschko stated that he has not watched any of Fury’s fights but credited the British challenger for being entertaining and intent on winning the championship belt.
The Ukrainian said: “I believe Tyson Fury is really meaning what he is talking about and he is definitely not coming here on October 24 just to be present and be on the canvas. No, he came here to win the championship fight.
“This guy is so entertaining. He sings, he dances, he is a cool dude. He does different things that people like – or hate. Some people adore you, some people say they can’t stand you, which is good.”
Talking is the easiest part of preparation for a fight. Last weekend, Huge 6ft 8 inches David Price claimed to be 100% certain he would defeat Eken Teper for the European Title fight, but ended up brutally knocked out after just 2 rounds. Fury talks a good fight, but will need more than talking to become champion. Klitschko will be the favourite, but if his last performance is anything to go by then Fury must be given a reasonable chance of pulling off the upset. Determination and self belief will help since Fury has the physical properties to match Klitschko on the physical level.
