Fury ready to go to ‘hell and back’ to knock Wilder out
British fighter says he will not get a points decision in the US, writes Gareth A Davies in Las Vegas
Tyson Fury has made a habit of defying boxing logic and convention, and is adamant that he will “knock out the knockout artist” when the selfstyled “Gypsy King” faces Deontay Wilder, the World Boxing Council Champion from Alabama, in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Having outboxed Wilder in December 2018 – despite being knocked down in the ninth and 12th rounds – Fury insisted that he “will not be robbed again” on a judging decision, after the first encounter was declared a split draw.
Believe Fury or not, the strategy for the rematch, which will decide the No 1 heavyweight in the world, will be to be more aggressive and the Briton will be seeking a decisive outcome.
Fury told The Sunday Telegraph: “I see this being a shorter fight for sure. I see myself putting a lot more pressure on him and landing a lot harder shots. I’ve changed a lot for this fight. I’ve changed my nutritionist, my trainer, my strength and conditioning training; I’ve cut the running down from five times a week to twice a week. I’ve changed my diet. I’m eating five or six times a day. I’ve even cut the Diet Cokes out, which is a first. I’m feeling refreshed and healthy.”
It all speaks to power and dominating the bout. “Wilder’s a big guy and used to intimidating people. But for me this is just a job. It isn’t anything personal. It’s not a family feud, it’s strictly a fight, about putting the record straight,” said Fury, standing 6ft 9in and 19st, and fortified for the task ahead after his most dedicated training camp.
Fury, 31, a man from a family with a tradition of fighters, certainly looks in the best shape of his 12-year professional career.
“This is a fight between the last two unbeaten heavyweight champions in our era. Everyone else has been beat or knocked off along the way. There’s only me and Deontay Wilder left. Class of 2008, we both turned pro. We’ve both got a lot to lose. This is about legacy.”
Fury has watched that first dramatic fight, in which he rose unexpectedly from the canvas in round 12, over and over again. “I watch it every time I get on the running machine. I’ve watched it dozens of times.
I see a lot of stuff I didn’t do, but I gave my all in the fight. I completely emptied the tank and I was completely exhausted after the fight. That was the best I could do on that day.
“Yet 100 million per cent I believe I beat him the first time. And I took his best punch and got up and fought him back. I believe Wilder has been haunted by his fight with me. It’s dug at him. When you think you’re invincible and some fat fella has come out of retirement and clearly beats you on the cards, whether you want to believe it or not, that mentally affects you.” Fury, of course, had shed 10 stone in the year before they fought, having ballooned to 28 stone while battling depression and other mental health issues. It still beggars belief how he managed to evade Wilder and dance around the ring that night – Fury refers to himself as “like Neo in The Matrix” – making the lethal right hand and left hook of the champion miss time and time again.
“This time I’m going to be on his arse. I’m going to be all over him like a cheap suit. It’s going to be difficult to keep me off. I don’t think he’s got the strength to keep me off him – 6ft 9in, 19st ploughing forward like a bull in a china shop. He’s 210lb. He will fail.”
Few believe Fury will go toe to toe. There are huge risks against a fighter with a 95 per cent knockout record against his victims. The Gypsy King disagrees. “Look, there’s always a risk. But higher risk, higher reward. If I don’t risk being knocked out, then I won’t knock him out. If I don’t take a risk then I’ll just beat him on points and lose a decision. I ain’t getting a decision here.”
Fury becomes more animated. “I need to f--- this guy up. I ain’t winning a points decision. I can’t stress this enough. I am not going to win a points decision in America. I’m fighting their golden boy. He’s their longest reigning heavyweight champion of recent times. Do you think they’re going to give me a points decision to take it back to the UK? Please, behave.
“I have to nail him to the canvas. I’m prepared to go to hell and back again to get the victory. There’s nothing I won’t do for victory.”
Fury explained that he had wanted his former trainer Ben Davison and new Detroit coach Sugar Hill Steward to work together. Davison brought a clever, evasive game plan to the first encounter. Steward was brought in for a more aggressive strategy.
“The only reason I’m with Sugar Hill is because I need a knockout in this fight. If I was looking to nick a points win I’d have stuck with Ben. I need a knockout. I ain’t going to get a points decision here and I will not be robbed in America again. He will have to f------ kill me to beat me. I ain’t lying,” Fury said.
“I’m not going in there to box and move, I’m going in there to seek and destroy. I’ve got 20 knockouts out of 29 wins. I can crack as hard as anybody and it’s either going to be me or him. It can only go two ways. Either I get chinned or he gets chinned. I’m willing to put it all on the line.
“After everything I’ve been through. I’m willing to put it all on the line in this fight. It’ll be a 50/50 gunslinger contest. We’re going to knock out the knockout artist.”
Wilder vs Fury for the World Boxing Council heavyweight title is live on BT Sport Box Office on Feb 22.