Tyson Fury weighed in just one pound heavier than champion Wladimir Klitschko ahead of Saturday’s world heavyweight showdown at the Esprit Arena.
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Paris arrived here on Thursday and delivered the news she is expecting their third child.
Fury responded to Klitschko’s assessment by saying: “I don’t really care [what he thinks] to be honest, as long as I win the fight on Saturday I’m not really interested”.
Klitschko, 39, who last lost 11 years ago, said this week that his longevity was down to his ego.
Britain’s last great heavyweight world champion doesn’t make much of Fury’s chances and he is backing the more experienced Klitschko to prevail.
The heavyweight division has long needed some life breathed back into it. Anthony Joshua’s brutal rise has provided a compelling glimpse into the future but, with the exception of Deontay Wilder, Fury and Klitschko are the only two contenders at the summit. I’ve never seen him where he needed to have a Plan B over his opponents that he’s been able to control. I’m not looking at Tyson going down to show to people how he can get up, I’m looking for Tyson to miss his shots from the beginning so all these are all strategies that were worked on.
The champion compared the antics of his rival to that of David Haye, who he comprehensively beat despite the Londoner’s similar mouthing prior to their 2011 bout, and Klitschko hinted that he wants a stoppage win to silence Fury.
“I’ve come here to do a demolition job on Klitschko and that’s what I intend to do”, he told Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, Klitschko has not been beaten since 2004 and has had 27 world title fights and made 23 successful defenses. I cannot in good conscience retreat for a second time, so I am relieved to identify Craig Brough, Action Images photographer and my saviour, as its driver.
He said: “Fury’s tactics should be to close the distance, get near to him, rough him up, try and bully him and stick the nut on him if he has to”.
But the odds makers are not discouraging Fury who realises the “fantastic opportunity” before him and believes it is his destiny to be victorious and predicts he will upset the bookies and knock Klitschko out.
Klitschko clearly has the better professional resume.
In small doses, it could be seen as standard boxing fare, but in Fury’s case no one is quite sure if the way he goes about his business is an eccentric brand of marketing savvy, something more sinister or a cause for serious concern.
Tyson Fury during his pre-fight work out. No, heavyweight giants like Klitschko, a man a few months shy of 40, lose only when it is time for them to move on.
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The champion weighed in at 17st 7lbs on Friday afternoon, a pound lighter than the challenger, who holds a reach advantage of four inches.
