By Rocky Morales
Photos from Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
Former Heavyweight Champion, Tyson Fury, was on hand Thursday at Churchill Boxing Gym, formerly Wild Card West Gym, in Santa Monica, CA, just a few miles west of where he will be five weeks from now to challenge WBC Heavyweight Champion, Deontay Wilder, for, in the eyes of some, heavyweight supremacy.
Charismatic as ever, Fury was at ease while surrounded by media as he first spoke briefly about his upcoming showdown with Wilder before proceeding to dazzle those in attendance with his pad work in the squared circle.
Fury (27-0, 19KO) is coming off a dominant victory last August 18th over fringe contender Francesco Pianeta (35-4-1), with Fury winning a shutout decision victory. With his challenge of Wilder, Fury is attempting the near impossible in coming back from a 2+ year retirement to try to win against an undefeated reigning champion when he faces off against Wilder at Staples Center in Los Angeles on December 1st.
Fury’s training camp is in Big Bear, CA, in the San Bernardino Mountains about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles and he has been in the USA for eight weeks now preparing for Wilder.
When asked how he will train differently for an opponent like Wilder, Fury mused, “I’m wrestling with bears”, a reference to MMA lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who wrestled with bears as a child in Russia.
“I don’t leave Big Bear”, said Fury, about his training camp location. “I chose Big Bear not just for the high altitude but also for the time zone adjustment as that will be the biggest factor.” He added that his team did want Big Bear for the altitude, however, because “whether it is a one minute fight or a 36 minute fight, I need to be very fit.”
When asked by Fight News about how this current version of Tyson Fury compares to the version of Fury that beat Klitschko, Fury responded, “The Tyson who beat Klitschko is dead and gone.” “I don’t live for yesterday but rather for today.”
Dead Fury or otherwise, however, he added, “I’m lineal heavyweight champion of the world.” Despite being lineal heavyweight champion, there is still one belt that has eluded Fury and that is the WBC belt which he intends to add to his collection on December 01st.
When asked what this fight means to him, Fury said, “The winner is the man.” He praised Wilder and his team saying how easy they were to work with and said the fight was honestly signed, sealed and delivered within one week from opening negotiations. Fury, when asked by Fight News if there was a rematch clause in place, joked “I can’t talk about contracts or else I’ll get my ass sued off.”
Fury showed some frustration when asked about reigning WBA/IBF/WBO Heavyweight Champion, Anthony Joshua. “I offered AJ $18 million to fight but he turned it down.” When asked if he could describe Joshua in a single word, Fury, with zero hesitation exclaimed, “Pussy!”
Asked if he felt any pressure being the underdog for this fight he said he felt none, adding “I was a 5-1 underdog against Klitschko so I am not worried.”
Fury and team then worked out for the media in the ring and as he did against Klitschko, he looked very nimble on his feet and moved remarkably well for a 6’9” 260 pound heavyweight and seemed to pack enough power in his punches to command the respect he will need to keep Wilder from walking through him on December 01st. With both Fury and Wilder supremely confident, as another Tyson used to say, this is the most anticipated heavyweight fight on American soil in recent years.
Asked if this will be his biggest fight ever, Fury said it was not his biggest fight, “mental health has been my biggest fight, boxing is just a sport.”
Just a sport or not, Fury’s champion competitive spirit was evident when asked if he wanted what Wilder had. “I don’t want what Wilder has…I just want to punch his face in!”
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