By Allan Fox: Tyson Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) says he’s not worried about his rematch with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs) on February 22, and he’s going into it confident of winning. Wilder thinks otherwise.
Deontay sees a scared, shaking Fury, who has dumped his trainer, and is putting on a ton of muscle weight in hopes to try and calm his nerves. Fury’s decision to sweep out his old trainer Ben Davison is a clear sign to Wilder that he’s a nervous wreck going into their rematch.
Fury insists he’s NOT nervous about Wilder rematch
“When he’s on the floor, it’ll be worse for him than it will for me,” said Fury to Behind The Gloves about Wilder. “Yeah, I’m very nervous. I’m shaking. Every night I go to bed thinking about it. One days closer, and I’m anxious. Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel.
“I’m frightened, nervous and anxious,” said Fury about his rematch with Wilder. “I’ve got the shakes. What I’ve achieved will probably never be achieved again from someone from my country. If I win this belt, then I’ve won all the titles there is. If I lose, I’ll be happy, because I’ll know I wasn’t good enough to beat Deontay Wilder.
“I couldn’t train any harder, and I couldn’t dedicate myself any more, and I’ve lost to the better man. I’ll shake his hand,” said Fury.
We don’t know if Fury is on the level when he says he’s not nervous about his rematch with Wilder, because his actions suggest otherwise. He’s dumped his trainer Ben Davison in favor of Sugar Hill Steward, and he’s put on a lot of extra weight in bulking up to 270.
That’s a clear signal that Fury IS worried about his rematch with Wilder, and why wouldn’t he be? Wilder knocked Fury out cold last time they fought in 2018, and it’s potentially life threatening for him to be facing the 6’7″ American again. You can understand why Fury would be nervous given what he’s experienced in the past when facing Wilder.
Fury wants Joshua fight in Las Vegas
“If that fight happens, it’s got to happen, because I’ve got three fights left, so it’s got to be one of them,” said Fury on a fight with Anthony Joshua. “The fight will happen. Whatever happens in these next two fights, me and him [Joshua] have to fight sooner or later.
“Whenever it is, I’d like it to be here in Las Vegas,” said Fury on a fight against Joshua. “The reason being is it’s a massive fight, and it needs to be on the biggest stage in the world. No disrespect to Wembley Stadium or London, but the mecca of boxing is right here in Las Vegas.
“This is where all the biggest fights have happened for hundreds of years,” said Fury. “It also gives people the chance to get away from the weekend. It’s a great excuse to go. I’m open to anything really,” said Fury when asked if he’d be open to fighting in Saudi,” said Fury.
“I’ve got Wilder, and I’m sure me and Wilder will have another rematch,” Fury said. “Wherever the last fight is, it is. No stress. Whether it’s in England, Saudi Arabia, Vegas, Antarctica or China. It doesn’t really matter where it is. It’ll be a good fight either way,” Fury said.
It’s very likely that Fury will change his mind about only being interested in fighting Joshua in Las Vegas. Once Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn makes it clear how much additional money Fury can make in battling him in Saudi or another foreign country, then he’ll likely forget about Vegas, and go for that deal.
If Fury was thinking of sticking around for another nine years in boxing, then it would be less important for him to make as much money as possible for the Joshua fight.
Joshua fight can happen says Fury
“I’m not interested in the business side of bull s—,” said Fury about whether a fight between him and Joshua would be a 50-50 split. “Percentages aren’t the reason why these big fights don’t happen. That’s a fact. The fact that these big fights don’t happen is because one of the fighters doesn’t want to fight each other.
“So when you’ve got two men willing to fight, it doesn’t matter what the percentage is,” Fury said. “It’ll get worked out. But when you get one man that wants to fight, and the other doesn’t, then you get, ‘Oh, I want this percentage, and you’re getting that.’ And that’s why these fights don’t happen.
“I’ve got to say with me and Wilder, we’ve brought two of the biggest TV stations [FOX and ESPN] together to do a joint venture, which has never ever been done before,” said Fury. “So anything can happen when both parties are willing to sit down and make the fight happen.
“So all this percentage talk isn’t important. If a couple of percentages are willing to make a difference in your life, then you’re definitely in the wrong job, that’s for sure,” Fury said.
Fury and Joshua are destined to face each other regardless of what happens in the Wilder-Fury 2 rematch on February 22. There’s too much interest from British boxing fans, and far too much money to be made in the Joshua vs. Fury fight for it not to take place.
With Fury now committed to retiring after 3 fights, it’s even more of a reason for him to fight Joshua as soon as possible.
Tyson: Joshua looked terrified against Ruiz
“Everyone has got to do what they got to do on the night and that’s what it was,” said Fury on Joshua emulating Wladimir Klitschko to defeat Andy Ruiz Jr. in their rematch on December 7 in Saudi.
“Listen, if it was s— when I was doing it [against Wladimir Klitschko], then it was double s– when he was doing it, because I had the worst job,” said Fury about Joshua’s rematch against Ruiz Jr. “He just ran away all night [against Ruiz Jr.], and it wasn’t great.
“It wasn’t a good fight. I think it was a lot of s– really,” Fury continued on Joshua. “He ran away terrified all night. Every time he stood still for two seconds, he got rocked to his boots.
“So I don’t think any fighters out there in the world are too bothered about AJ anymore. His bubble has been burst, and no one is bothered about him anymore, that’s for sure. Just like they won’t be when I beat Wilder,” said Fury.
Joshua’s knockout loss to Ruiz Jr. in June of last year has likely scarred him forever. It was such a bad experience for Joshua with him getting dropped 4 times in the fight, and he’s probably never going to go back to his old seek and destroy style of fighting that made him popular.
Joshua has now become this era’s version of Wladimir Klitschko, and he doesn’t seem to care that he’ll be turning off a lot of boxing fans.
Andy Ruiz blew it says Fury
“One [Ruiz] came in overweight. I think he was 21 stone or whatever it was,” Fury said about Andy Jr. coming in overweight or his rematch with Joshua. “He was very heavy. It was mainly down to the lifestyle he was living. Listen, if a man comes from nothing, and couldn’t afford a cheese pizza before, and then he’s got millions of dollars, it’s very difficult to tell him to dedicate himself.
“It’s his own loss, and he had the opportunity to grab the division with both hands,” Fury said of Ruiz Jr. “But he didn’t, and messed it all up. Now he’s looking for redemption again. So good luck to him and his career. But just so he knows, he did blow it.
“Usyk is capable of doing anything at heavyweight,” said Fury of Oleksandr Usyk. “He’s a good southpaw, and very technical. It doesn’t get much better. The only thing that might let him down is his size. He’s only 6’2″ or 6’3″. In this day, all the heavyweights are massive. I think he’s got good boxing ability. Sometimes size don’t matter unless you know how to use it properly,” Fury said.
Andy Ruiz Jr. blew his chance to become the #1 heavyweight in the division by overeating, and coming in out of shape for his rematch with Joshua, says Fury.
It’s something that Fury can certainly identify with, since he made his own mistake by overeating and ballooning up to close to 400 lbs following his upset win over former IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. It took Fury three years to turn things around with his career.
We’ll see if Ruiz Jr. can come back with his own career. It might be more difficult for him though, as he’s someone that has always been heavy.