Western Morning News (Saturday)
Gypsy King is promising war in fight with Whyte
TYSON Fury promised a “war” when he defends his WBC heavyweight title against Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium despite more light-hearted exchanges between the pair on the eve of their showdown.
While the duo have been critical towards each other on social media for years, fight week has been remarkably cordial and restrained, and the bonhomie continued at yesterday’s weigh-in at BOXPARK Wembley.
After Fury scaled 18st 12lbs and 13oz - 12lbs lighter than when he defeated Deontay Wilder in their epic trilogy contest six months ago he and Whyte were in playful spirits at the final stare down.
The 6ft 9in Fury emphasised his five-inch height advantage by standing on his tip-toes while Whyte, who came in at 18st 1lb and 4oz, played along by crouching down before they shook hands and traded caps.
They briefly danced on stage alongside one another as the music blared, having turned to face the assembled crowd, although a firedup Fury insisted matters would be more serious when they next meet.
“I’m so happy to be back here (in the UK) fighting at Wembley Stadium,” said Fury, who was afforded a hero’s welcome on his entrance although Londoner Whyte was initially booed on to the stage.
“Respect to Dillian Whyte and his team, proper professional men, and we’re going to give you a real fight.
“Don’t doubt us, we’re going to put a show on like no other before.
“It’s going to be a war, don’t worry about that.”
Meanwhile, Lennox Lewis suspects Tyson Fury will only walk away from boxing once he has cemented himself as the number one heavyweight of his era - by beating Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua.
Fury (31-0-1, 22KOs) has repeatedly suggested he will retire after his WBC heavyweight title defence against Dillian Whyte in an all-British affair in front of around 94,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium tonight.
If Fury follows through with his plan then fights many have been clamouring for against the unbeaten
Ukrainian Usyk, who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO crowns, and another UK rival in Joshua would not occur.
Lewis, the last heavyweight to be recognised as undisputed champion, pointed out he would not have felt able to end his own celebrated career had he not fought and beaten the feared Mike Tyson in June 2002.
While agreeing Fury is currently the world’s best heavyweight, Lewis believes the ‘Gypsy King’ will only be able to hang up his gloves once he has proven himself against his biggest contemporary rivals.
“You look at the guys who are out there,” Lewis said. “Can he beat them? He probably can. He is the top heavyweight in the world right now.
“Does he want to beat them? It’s up to him. I’ve heard him saying he wants to retire. I don’t know whether he’s saying that for real or not but it’ll be sad if he doesn’t fight Usyk.
“I didn’t know if the Mike Tyson fight was ever going to happen but I knew I wanted it to happen because I didn’t want anybody saying ‘Tyson would have beaten you’. Now they can’t say that, they have to say ‘you’re the best, you beat Tyson’.”
Lewis expects an intriguing “barn buster” of a fight in tonight’s headliner, tipping either the taller, rangier and more elusive Fury to prevail on points or Whyte to cause an upset by knockout.
Lewis has been encouraged by the recent performances of Whyte (28-2, 19KOs), particularly how the Londoner avenged his defeat to Alexander Povetkin 13 months ago.
“I know Dillian Whyte’s ready; he’s strong, he throws a great hook, great jab,” Lewis said. “I’ve seen him improving over his last few fights so this is the main fight he has to be ready for.
“He really needs to step on the gears and really go after him and hit what he can hit. It’s going to be hard to box against a 6ft 9in guy.
“I boxed against a 6ft 9in guy and I know how hard it is to hit them. It takes a few rounds to get acclimatised and I think it’ll take Dillian a few rounds to get acclimatised with Tyson Fury as well.”
Lewis - who beat everyone he fought in a professional career that yielded 41 wins, two defeats and a draw - retired in 2003 but admitted a contest against Fury is one he would have relished in his prime.