Hardly a word was spoken when the fighters’ eyes locked during the Dusseldorf stare down, which was, you know, surprising since Tyson Fury’s tongue was in the room. A song, a joke and an ever-present smile, facing the biggest examination of his career, Fury looks like a man who has been leaked the test results.
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Unbeaten in 11 years and making a 19th title defence in his second reign as champion, the German-based Klitschko is a heavy favourite to silence the mouthy Fury, who talks a good fight but can not persuade the bookmakers. I believe that, although he is a marvel of a man, he is now beginning to age as he nears his 40th birthday.
It’s worth a shot for Klitschko to try to rattle his most talented challenger in years early on, though his trademark calm and composure will be key to seeing this one out. “Yeah it will. We’ll see, but I do believe he’s in trouble”, Banks said.
“He’s achieved a lot and he’s done something I haven’t – he’s won a world title and defended it. He can hold onto that glory train but as long as I come out of it being the driver and the captain then it’s a different story”.
27-year-old Fury went on: “This is the culmination of a journey, which started for me way back in 2008 when I turned pro”. “One of my easiest fights”.
This is a big, bad brawl that fight fans won’t want to miss.
Klitschko, for his part, rates Fury as his biggest challenge since he fought David Haye, despite Fury’s fellow Briton whimpering to a lop-sided defeat when they met in 2011. Despite his claims that he’ll take the fight to Klitschko, I expect him to box at range, possibly from the southpaw stance, looking to land the jab and then stun Waldimir with a big punch.
Believe it or not, that is actually how some are viewing the collision between Wladimir Klitschko and Tyson Fury. He can’t get stuck into a jabbing contest because Klitschko is the master of jabbing.
Fury, 27, does not lack confidence and on the eve of the clash in front of a 50,000-plus crowd in the Esprit Arena, he was goading Klitschko.
“My ego is big and it gives me the motivation”.
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“I think he’s taken the heavyweight champion under water a bit because he’s got no flair or flamboyancy”. I’m not here to get a paycheck and go back to Lancaster with a million quid in my bank and go and spunk it on a vehicle and some fancy woman on a night out…. Indeed, Klitschko has fought all comers; the issue is that these opponents hardly constitute a murderers’ row. Both fighters’ relative low weights suggest they are going for speed, and will do their best to end the fight prematurely.
