I’d like to come back to Germany again to fight Wladimir.
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Fury represented both Ireland and England at amateur level and won the ABA championship in 2008 before turning pro later that year. For someone who boasted for weeks leading up to the fight, to the naked eye, it would appear that Tyson Fury was trying to find any reason not to actually fight at all.
Egan made a bold prediction about his young charge back in the days he was just a promising amateur in 2006.
Fury’s prediction was exactly what happened on fight night as Klitschko was a picture of a worn-out fighter struggling with age as Fury used his height, reach and staying power to dominate the 39-yer-old heavyweight champion. “It’s just about being patient”.
The build-up to the fight had been colourful and controversial, ranging from Fury’s entrance to a London press conference dressed as Batman to threats by the Briton that he would pull out of the contest altogether due to issues over gloves and the ring canvas. But Fury will have to beat Wilder, and probably Klitschko again, if he wants to prove beyond a doubt that he is the best big man in boxing.
At the final bell, the 27-year-old raised his arms in triumph and the Ukrainian was noticeably slow to follow suit.
“You’re a great champion Vlad, thanks very much for having me”.
Although many will be delighted that there is fresh blood in the division with Fury threatening to start a new era, the likes of Anthony Joshua and David Haye will certainly look to derail his plans next year but Klitschko will undoubtedly have something to say before they get their opportunities. “I wasn’t fazed by the crowd because I knew I was going to be the new heavyweight champion of the world”. “I’m coming and I’m coming really fast for you”.
Fury, at 2.06 metres some eight centimetres taller than his opponent, kept Klitschko at bay with the champion unable to unleash his lethal right and reduced to jabbing away with his left whenever he managed to get within striking distance and doing little damage.
“It’s a great honour to be sat here with all these belts as the heavyweight champion of the world”.
“It’s hard to come to a foreign country and win”, Fury said.
Fury has vowed to be “the most charismatic champion since Mohammad Ali” and has already carved out his own style of singing after victories.
“Nobody believed he could do it, only me, Peter and his brother”, John Fury told the BBC.
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“I’m a fighter and I will take up all challenges”. Fury ends Klitschko’s long reign of nine years and six months, the second longest after Joe Louis who held the heavyweight title for 11 years and eight months. Nobody comes to Germany and plays with the heavyweight champion like that.
