The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Confident Fury ready for Wilder
Tyson Fury has stressed his confidence that he will face – and beat – Deontay Wilder after this month’s clash with Francesco Pianeta.
Fury, who takes on Italian Pianeta at Belfast’s Windsor Park on August 18 in the second fight of his comeback, said on social media on Monday that he was in talks with WBC heavyweight champion Wilder, adding: “Negotiations are very strong for December, we’re almost done for this deal.”
He also said that, having beaten Pianeta, he would knock Wilder out, and suggested the contest would take place in either New York or Las Vegas.
When asked yesterday how confident he was about the fight being made, Fury said: “Confident it’s done. I have just got to beat Pianeta first, and then I’ll fight Wilder next.”
Fury was then asked about being ready to defeat Wilder if he did face him in December, and the 29-year-old said: “I was born ready in 1988.”
He added: “We’re all going to America on a road trip. I’ve been to America before. Conquered Steve Cunningham in New York (in 2013). I’m going back to conquer again.”
Negotiations between Wilder and Fury’s fellow Briton Anthony Joshua, the WBA, WBO and IBF champion, have stalled, but the hope has been that they could fight in April 2019. Joshua will take on Alexander Povetkin next month.
In June Fury (26-0, 19 KOs) fought for the first time since the November 2015 victory over Wladimir Klitschko in Germany that saw him claim the three major world titles Joshua now holds.
His return bout, after being sidelined by personal issues and an anti-doping case, was a contest with elements of farce, which ended with his Albanian opponent Sefer Seferi being pulled out after four rounds.
Fury took part in a media workout at Ricky Hatton’s gym in Manchester yesterday afternoon.