TYSON FURY could be the heavyweight champion of the world again tomorrow morning.
Or he could be laid out sparko on the canvas by Deontay Wilder’s ‘Alabama hammer’ of a right hand.
Tyson Fury feels none of the nerves of the build-up nerves felt by his big rivals as he claims reaching this spotlight is what his life has always been about
Deontay Wilder says the last few days ahead of a bout are like torture – in contrast to the feelings of his opponent on Saturday, Tyson Fury
Tyson Fury is lapping it up in Vegas but now wants to top it off by becoming No1
Yet either way the Gypsy King has relished his big week in the bright lights of Sin City before this intriguing WBC world title rematch.
Many fighters readily admit to being gripped by anxiety in the big fight build-up.
Anthony Joshua confesses to stage fright. Wilder says the days before a fight are ‘torture’ to him. Not so, Fury.
“This is what I live to do,” he says, “I’ve lived and breathed this since I was 14 and I couldn’t think of any better place in the world.
“Even if you gave me £10million spending money and sent me to the Bahamas with eight strippers and a load of alcohol, it would be no good to me.
“I’d rather be here getting punched in the face by Wilder. That’s what turns me on.
“I do enjoy fight week, I don’t wish it was gone because then I’d just be a normal person again back at home doing my bins, taking the s****y nappies out and all that.
Even £10m spending money in the Bahamas with eight strippers and a load of alcohol would be no good to me
Tyson Fury
“While I’m here I’m enjoying it. A lot of people are afraid, anxious and frightened but this is what I get paid to do.
“It’s my time in the stars, time in the sun, five minutes of fame.”
Fury is a natural showman, a limelight-hogger with his outrageous tailoring and his unique use of the English language.
Manager Frank Warren claims his man, once regarded as a villain in his own homeland, has become a people’s champion.
And there is some truth in this. Fury was reviled for homophobic comments and was ostracised from the sport for two years after failing a drugs ban.
Yet his resurrection as a fighter and a man — including some stark talking about his mental health issues — have allowed many more to warm to Fury.
He is quite evidently bipolar — on another day he might easily tell you he hates boxing.
But Fury’s honesty about his condition helped to destigmatise it.
Warren said: “The Brits like someone who is down and gets up again.
“As a traveller, he was an outsider, in a negative position, and the people around him helped make him feel that the world was against him.
“He didn’t get much acclaim, even when he went and beat Wladimir Klitschko.
“Now Tyson is a man of the people — everywhere he goes, he’s mobbed and they cheer him and he buys all the beers.”
It would be the best win by any Brit overseas. Lennox Lewis beat Mike Tyson but Tyson was washed up.
Tyson Fury
Victory over Wilder would send that admiration off the scale.
Most students of the noble art reckon the Brit should have been awarded the decision over Wilder in their epic draw of December 2018 — despite his suffering two knockdowns.
Yet ex-world champion David Haye gives an eloquent argument in favour of a Wilder win, especially because of the American’s extraordinary one-punch power — and the bookies agree.
Not that Fury is a stranger to shredding form-books. He is already responsible for one of the greatest victories by a British fighter on foreign soil when he dethroned Klitschko back in 2015.
And if he claims victory in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in the early hours of tomorrow (UK time) it would top the lot.
Fury, 31, said: “It would be the best win by any British fighter overseas, for sure. Lennox Lewis did beat Mike Tyson, but Tyson was washed up.
“I don’t believe any British heavyweight has beaten an undefeated WBC champion who has made ten defences of this title. I will be the first one.
“I think it’s written in the stars a million miles away. This was always supposed to happen. I was away for three years out of the ring, all of the problems I had you all know. People said I’d never lose the weight and never return, but I did.
“They said I would never get back to fighting for a world title, but I did. I fought for one and won it, but didn’t get the belt.
“Then I had to crack America like all great champions do and now I’m doing the biggest fight of my era.
“It’s the biggest fight in the heavyweight division since 1971 when Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier.
“That was the last time that two undefeated champions fought.
“Frazier was an alphabetical belt holder and Ali was lineal champion. That was Ali returning like I did.”
Fury is bulkier for this re-match than he was for the original fight.
But he explained: “I haven’t tried to put weight on, I am naturally a fat pig waiting to jump out of this body.
“I have just been trying to not lose as much as I usually do. I normally walk around at about 20st.
“I’ve been eating six meals a day and drinking two gallons of water, as well as my vitamins and fruit and veg, which I did not do before.
“I’m putting a 12-year unbeaten career on the line but, listen, I’m getting paid well for it.
“I’ve trained hard for ten weeks. It’s a fight, f*** it, I’ve had 30 of them before and 30-odd amateur fights, too.
“I’m not afraid of anybody, I ain’t afraid of nothing.
“If Wilder is going to punch me in the face, then congratulations to him.
“Big deal, here’s a tissue.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
