FORMER heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury insists he is not easing his way back into competition when he fights Sefer Seferi on June 9 at the Manchester Arena. Fury has not fought since 2015, when he toppled Wladimir Klitschko to win the IBF, WBO and WBA world titles. He will have ring rust to shed.
โI think heโs good, I think heโs good enough. Any man whoโs had 24 fights and only lost one on points and never been knocked out canโt be a push-over,โ Fury said of his opponent.
โEven if heโs fought Romanian roadsweepers, they all taking knocking out. Try punching someone and knocking them out, itโs quite hard. He will be able to punch no doubt. A chin is a chin and if he hits me on mine, Iโll go over clearly.
โBut if Iโm as good as I think I am, I should beat him comfortably.โ
He will be a welcome addition among the elite of the heavyweight division. But he will have to work his way back to the top. A loss to Seferi would be a disaster. Tyson still warned, โI think heโs good, I think heโs good enough. Any man whoโs had 24 fights and only lost one on points and never been knocked out canโt be a push-over.
โHeโs very tough. His brother is very tough and he fought the heavyweight champion of the world, Herbie Hide, and Herbie Hide beat him on points.
โThese Albanian fellas are very, very teak tough. Thatโs why I picked someone who is very tough.
โI need the rounds because Iโve been out for how many days I donโt know, Iโve been out for a long time.
โI need rounds. I donโt need a knock-out after 10 seconds. I need someone whoโs tough, can take the punches and who can keep coming forward and put me under pressureโฆ So Iโm pushed a little bit and have to extend myself.โ
Fury promised, โIโm not overlooking Sefer Seferi, Iโm taking him deadly serious. This is a world title fight for me. Everyone of these people who come to fight me are challenging me for my lineal heavyweight status, which goes back over 200 years.โ