Dancing Fury set to roar
Wilder taunted by Tyson’s fans
TYSON FURY danced in front of his adoring fans as he weighed in for his WBC heavyweight clash against Deontay Wilder.
But the British challenger was held back by security from a masked Wilder as the pair stared each other down from a distance. Fury roared at Wilder but the American kept his cool in the blistering LA sunshine just yards from where they will trade punches in the early hours tomorrow at Staples Center.
There were hundreds of Fury fans making themselves heard outside the LA Convention Center in Downtown. Fury arrived in style, standing up through the sunroof of a huge SUV as he lapped up the attention and the Californian sun.
There were fears of more trouble at the weigh-in following the melee at Wednesday’s final press conference. The California
State Athletic Commission warned both fighters that they would have their purses withheld if they sparked another fracas.
But extra security was on hand to ensure both men were kept apart and they did not go face-to-face to avoid further trouble.
The Manchesterborn fighter squeezed himself into a pair of Stars and Stripes pants as he weighed in at 18st 4lb.
Fury’s fans shouted “You big dosser” and “Who are ya?” at Wilder as he made his way to the scales and tipped them at 15st 2lb.
Victory for Wilder will increase the clamour for a unification fight with Britain’s world champion Anthony Joshua at Wembley next April. But WBA, IBF and WBO champion Joshua has been told he has to plead with Eddie Hearn to make a deal with the American.
Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel believes Hearn’s influence over Joshua has stopped the fight happening.
Finkel said: “If Joshua wants it, why doesn’t he do anything? He should just say, ‘Make the fight’.”