TYSON FURY tricked Deontay Wilder into thinking he was a 19st 7lbs slob by guzzling around 16 pints of water before his weigh-in.
The Gypsy King and boxing encyclopedia scaled in at career second highest of 19st 7lbs on Friday before his sensational WBC title win.
Tyson Fury seemingly developed the ultimate gameplan for the Wilder fight – by making his opponent think he was too bloatedCredit: Rex Features
Pundits and fellow fighters assumed he had ballooned up by over-eating and under training.
But former trainer Ben Davison insisted the measurements were a brilliant ruse to confuse the American and his corner.
And SunSport has since learned that Fury and his new team of Andy Lee and SugarHill Steward manipulated the weigh-in results by reversing an old boxing trick.
Fighters at smaller weights will dehydrate themselves dramatically and often dangerously to reach the limits lower down the divisions.
But it’s also possible to switch the system.
Tyson Fury kept himself covered up at the weigh-in – but it was all an elaborate illusionCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Downing around 16pints could help the thirsty fighter add on over 1st and that would fall off overnight with a few toilet trips.
Fury heaped praise on new nutritionists George Lockhart for convincing him to bin Diet Cokes and drink two litres of water a day.
And the 6ft 9in Morecambe icon was never seen without a huge tank of H2O during all of his media briefings.
Fury looked sensational once in the MGM ring, nowhere near the mammoth amount the Nevada commission took around 36 hours before.
Davison said after the shock weigh in: “Personally, I believe that was a manufactured weight on the scales. I don’t believe he was that heavy.
“I believe that was part of the mind games going on. I know Tyson, I know his body and I do not believe he was that heavy – in fact I know he was not that heavy.
“I believe his morning weight was more in the region of 18st 8lbs, 18st 9lbs. And obviously throughout the day as you’re eating and drinking your weight will increase there.
“But I believe the weight he stopped on the scales at was manufactured weight all part of mind games – which he is the master of.”
Fury’s former coach Ben Davison feels Deontay Wilder fell for the Gypsy King’s mind gamesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk