Fury taunts Wilder as British fighter targets super-bout
LONDON: Tyson Fury has taunted Deontay Wilder as the controversial British fighter sets his sights on a clash with his heavyweight rival.
Fury’s comeback continues with a showdown against Francesco Pianeta in Belfast on Saturday.
But Wilder, who will be ringside in his role as a television analyst, is the real target for Fury.
Negotiations for the two to clash in December are progressing and should Fury beat Pianeta, one of the division’s super-fights will move a step closer.
“If I come through this then Wilder has the chance to fight me for the lineal championship. Let’s face it, he’s not really fought anybody and he’s had 40 fights,” Fury told a press conference on Tuesday.
Fury made his comeback in June after two-and-a-half years out of the ring by overwhelming Sefer Seferi inside four rounds having shed in the region of 10 stone (63.5kg) in order to resume fighting.
“The old Tyson Fury is gone, never to be seen again in history. The new Tyson Fury is here now. All I can promise is to put on a good fight,” Fury added.
“I do want to win a world title again so I have to raise my game after three years out of the game nearly and ballooning up to 28 stone.”
Pianeta has won all but five of his 40 fights and Fury insists he isn’t taking him for granted.
“I study my heavyweights and I know he’s fought some good men. He’s a big strong fella and he knows that if he wins he will fight Wilder instead of me,” Fury said.
“He’s southpaw which is a lot more awkward because there aren’t many of them in the division, so it’s hard to get sparring. But every southpaw I’ve ever fought I’ve knocked out.
“What you’re likely to see from me on Saturday is a heavyweight Sugar Ray Leonard. Anything less is a failure.” — AFP