THE going is rarely straightforward when it comes to Tyson Fury’s tortured rematch with Wladimir Klitschko. It has finally been signed and sealed although a press conference today (September 12) in London to formally announce the heavyweight title fight for October 29 at the Manchester Arena had to go ahead without the presence of Tyson Fury himself. Promoter Mick Hennessy explained the champion’s absence, saying, “We spoke to him briefly before his battery’s gone, he’s had problems with traffic and also his car has broken done so all we can do is get on with it.
“This is the very first press conference Tyson Fury has ever missed, he is normally very early at press conferences and he is normally very entertaining at press conferences. So this is not the norm and we are not making it up.”
Fury still needs to have a hearing with UKAD to answer allegations of a doping violation but that won’t take place until after the Klitschko fight. “There is no danger of that stopping the fight,” declared Frank Warren, whose channel BoxNation will televise the fight. He added, “If his car breaks down on the way to the arena, I’ll pick him up on my motorbike.”
Peter Fury, Tyson’s uncle and trainer said. “There has been chaos around this fight, especially with UKAD slipping statements out to the public, people guilty before they are even tried – chaos – but we are happy, we have had hard knocks in life but we can happily say this will happily go ahead because that is what the judge has ruled and I am so happy we can have the fight.”
As well as being available to BoxNation subscribers as usual, for the first time there is BoxNation Box Office, a one-off pay-per-view option for Sky customers.
Peter promised, “It will be a great fight, it will be a lot different than the last time because Wladmir Klitschko knows he has to do something different and Tyson Fury knows he has to do something different than last time. This is a lot more interesting fight, usually when you look at the history when it’s a great fight the first time we are always in for a dour fight the second time. Last time it wasn’t that exciting a fight because it was a chess match, they had to be cautious, but in this time both sides know what they have to do. Wladimir Klitschko knows he has to do something different if he is going to get his belts back and this will make for an entertaining fight.
“That is the sparring we are doing, that is the preparation we are doing, and we are looking forward to getting it on. There have been a lot of ups and downs along the way to get the fight on, but now we are here. I want to see what Tyson Fury really is. I see Tyson Fury as one of the best fighters in the world and I want him to prove his legacy.”
Klitschko for his part sounded relaxed about Tyson’s no show and relaxed about the fight itself. “I understand the situations, Fury is not here right now but maybe he is invisible. But eventually – and I hope so – we will meet in the ring. It’s OK, I can wait. I can wait because I have enough patience. Because I am really looking forward to the revenge. I really hope that eventually we will get into the ring and just not in another press conference. So trust me, even if invisible Fury is here or not, I really just hope this fight is going to happen. I am 40 already but I will wait. Even if it doesn’t happen, I will wait and eventually time will run out for the champion,” Wladimir said.
“I am not surprised if anything else turns up, if Tyson Fury is going to show up, singing and being Batman or being the invisible man so anyway I am prepared for anything, I have my goal.”
