Whether appearing as Batman or plain old Tyson Fury, the message this afternoon was abundantly clear: Britain’s leading heavyweight wants to separate world champion Wladimir Klitschko from his multitude of championship belts and end his career on October 24 in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Fury and Klitschko meet at the 55,000-capacity ESPRIT arena, live in the UK on Sky Sports Box Office, and an already fascinating spectacle became so much more today in Brentford, London when Fury, unbeaten in 24 fights, entered their pre-fight press conference dressed as Batman. Yes, Batman.
Two laps of the room ensued, followed by a roll around the floor with The Joker, who appeared moments later, and then, when Batman had finished having his fun, and the laughter had died down, Fury finally set the scene.
“It’s a personal mission for me to rid boxing of a boring person like you,” he told Klitschko. “I’m interested in breaking your face. You’re boring, I want to get rid of you out of the heavyweight division. I am the new blood in the division, you are an old man.
“I’m as confident of winning as waking up in the morning and putting my shoes on.
“That’s how this fight’s going to go. A very sharp, easy, simple knock-out. There’s no doubt in my mind I can beat Wladimir Klitschko.
“I wouldn’t be the fighting man I am if I didn’t. He’s had all them defences, won all them fights, beat all them Americans, all them Europeans, but he ain’t beat me.
“You may have fought plenty of peasants in your time, from Poland or wherever, but you’ve not fought the king of the gypsies before. You’re looking at one here.
“You’re an old man, you’re getting knocked out. I cannot wait for this.”
Klitschko remained stoic throughout, even when witnessing Batman and The Joker do battle, and had a new job in mind for Fury should the Englishman decide to walk away from the sport of boxing anytime soon.
“Tyson said, ‘If I lose this fight against Klitschko, I will not be in boxing any more,’” reminded Klitschko. “Well, I have a new job for you, buddy.
“I have good friends in Cirque du Soleil and they can give you a job as a clown. I’m telling you, not in an abusive way, I’ve a lot of friends from the circus industry. They’re clowns. It’s very tough to make people laugh.
“Calling you a clown, or having a good job at Cirque du Soleil in future, is a compliment. Watching this theatre, it’s in your genes, it’s there. Not every person has so much luck.
“You’re visiting a doctor right now, so calm down, sit down and listen. I think I can make you a better person (by beating you). There are five weeks to go until the fight. My therapy has already started and, on the 24th October, it will continue.”
*** Tyson Fury challenges Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO world heavyweight titles on October 24 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Tickets can be purchased from eventim.co.uk or on 0844 249 1000. The fight will be televised live and exclusively in the UK on Sky Sports Box Office ***
Photo c/o Andy Couldridge/Action Images
