BOXING Brits are closing in on WBC and WBA belts HUGH MUST BE JOKING!
Hamilton storms to the front Fury mocks Joshua camp’s silly money’ offer for title fight
LEWIS HAMILTON said he was “ready for anything” as he stormed to pole position for today’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
The Brit edged out title rival Nico Rosberg to take the 60th pole of his career, eight short of Michael Schumacher’s record.
Rosberg will take his first championship if he wins today’s penultimate race of the season – but Hamilton, 19 points adrift, showed he will do all he can to take the fight down to the wire.
Qualifying took place in damp and overcast conditions in Sao Paulo and rain is expected for the race today, but Hamilton, who has never won in Brazil, said: “I don’t mind (if it rains). I’m ready for anything.
“I felt quite comfortable in qualifying, Nico has been getting quicker and quicker but I have generally had him covered.
“This is the best I could have hoped for really coming into Brazil.”
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen qualified third with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen joining him on the second row of the grid. Sebastian Vettel was in fifth for Ferarri, with Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo sixth. HUGHIE FURY turned down the chance to fight Anthony Joshua on December 10 because the IBF heavyweight champion was offering “silly” money. And not in a good way. But Tyson Fury’s cousin is hoping a world title shot will still come his way in March after opening negotiations with WBC top dog Deontay Wilder.
Fury said: “We’re in negotiations with Wilder and hopefully it will come off so I can have a showdown with him.
“I definitely see ways I can beat Wilder. Me and my dad (trainer Peter) have already sat down and looked at plenty of ways I can beat him.
“Wilder is very beatable. He’s never fought a decent opponent.
“Me and Tyson went over to New York to watch him live when he fought the Polish kid, Artur Szpilka, and he was getting beaten then, he was getting outboxed until he landed the bomb.
Chinny
“So he’s out-boxable, easy. He just has a big punch and I can definitely take his shots.
“I’ve never been wobbled in my life or been put down in all my fights. I’ve got a good chin, whereas Wilder is a bit chinny, to be honest.”
Hughie Fury was offered the chance to meet Joshua (right) next month after Wladimir Klitschko pulled out of a proposed meeting – but the terms were a long way from what the challenger felt he should be getting. Joshua will now fight Eric Molina in Manchester.
Fury added: “They offered us the fight but it was silly money.
“My dad was in negotiations with them but they didn’t want it so they went somewhere else. I’d take that fight tomorrow. But they were talking stupid at the end of the day.
“They just offered us the fight to say they’d offered it.
“But we’d take the fight tomorrow if everything was right financially. That’s the fight I want.”
Tyson Fury was forced to relinquish his world titles last month as he battles depression. But his cousin revealed: “Hopefully Tyson will come back stronger next year.
“He’s on the right medication and he’s on the mend, so hopefully next year we’ll both be world champions – he’ll be world champion again and I’ll be coming up behind him.”