WHAT’S NOT TO GLOVE?
Fury reckons fans are back on side after his super show against Wilder
TYSON FURY is confident his performance against Deontay Wilder will complete his rehabilitation from pugilistic pariah to British sporting hero.
Fury would have returned home a world champion for a second time had it not been for controversial scoring in Los Angeles.
Despite being knocked down twice, he dominated the fight only to be cruelly denied victory by the judges.
When he defeated Wladimir Klitschko three years ago his homophobic, sexist and anti-semitic rants turned the public against him.
His views led to calls for him to be removed from the Sports Personality of the Year shortlist, an award for which he is again among the favourites for on December 16.
Fury said: “Whatever happened yesterday is history so I’m just looking forward to today and tomorrow.
“We never know how we’re going to feel but I’m happy and everything I trained for, I executed and everything we did, we did.
“I think it’s about time people saw the real Tyson Fury. They’ve been seeing the real me since I came back.
“I’ve definitely got the recognition from the fans and I feel like I’ve got more support than I’ve ever had.”
Before challenging Wilder, Fury claimed he was a bigger draw in America than the country’s homegrown champion.
He endeared himself further to fans on both sides of the Atlantic, first by
showing such resilience to rise from the canvas in the final round, and then by belting out a rendition of Don McLean’s American Pie at the post-fight press conference.
Fury said: “I think the fight had a massive impact on America. Everybody in America has heard the story of Tyson Fury, they’ve heard about the legend but now they’ve seen him.
“They now know why – I’ve got the engaging personality. I’m just being myself, I’m not trying to act up or anything. As you saw in there I was putting my hands behind my back and my hands in the air.
“Even when I was knocked down, I got straight back up and put my hands behind my back again. I am an entertainer I would say.”
Meanwhile, Frank Warren plans to begin talks for a lucrative rematch imminently – and wants it in London.
In his role as Fury’s promoter, and alongside the British Boxing Board of Control, he has made a complaint to the WBC over the scores that resulted in a draw and his hope is the sanctioning body order a rematch.
With his fighter’s reputation enhanced, Warren said: “You would think they would want the rematch. They have said they do.
“I think it’s got a good chance of coming to London. You’d have a 90,000 gate at Wembley, so you’re talking serious money.”