Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A BUM NOTE
Wilder has no boxing brain says Fury
TYSON Fury is relishing a walk on the Wilder side – but only after he pummels Francesco Pianeta into an “Italian sausage” in Belfast on Saturday night.
The Gypsy King hopes to rustle up a “saucy meatball” of a display for an expected 25,000 sellout crowd at Windsor Park as he homes in on a mega-fight with the WBC champion.
Deontay Wilder will be ringside as an analyst with BT Sport and Fury is eager to sizzle in advance of a planned showdown with the unbeaten Bronze Bomber before Christmas.
This was vintage Tyson as he played up to the cameras and entertained the fans hanging on his every word at yesterday’s pre-fight press conference at the Europa Hotel.
Branding Anthony Joshua a “bum” and promoter Frank Warren “ravishingly sharp”, at one point he also led the crowd in a rendition of ‘Sweet Caroline’.
Beneath the music hall act, however, lurks a realisation that Pienata, who was born in Italy but is based in Germany, needs to be taken care of before he focuses on a date with Deontay.
Asked if he would have a message for Wilder on Saturday night, Fury said: “A big right hand on the jaw – take that! No, listen, you can’t count your eggs. All I care about is Pianeta.
“He is in my way so it’s mission seek and destroy. Then we’ll see what Mr Wilder has to say. I do want to win a world title again, but I know I have to raise my game.
“After having nearly three years out and ballooning up to 28 stone and down to 18-and-a-half, I knew it would be a long, hard battle back.
“But to win all the belts back, I only have to beat two bums – Wilder and Joshua – and they both don’t have a boxing brain between them, so it shouldn’t be too hard for a great boxer like me.”
While accepting Pianeta is one punch away from ending his dream, Fury – who made his comeback in June after 32 months of inactivity – is confident he’ll “smash him to pieces”.
“I’m going to make Italian sausage out of him – spicy meatballs!” he growled. “I’m going to give him the best hiding he’s ever had.
“I’m the greatest heavyweight born, so I should handle him and whoever else. Wilder, Joshua and all the other bums out there.”