Dusseldorf: Tyson Fury took to singing in the ring to Wladimir Klitschko at a public workout on Wednesday before the pair meet in their heavyweight world-title fight as the gloves row which threatened to postpone the bout appeared to be resolved.
Fury, 27, challenges the WBA, IBF and WBO champion Klitschko, 39, at the 50,000-capacity Esprit Arena on Saturday. From a ring set up in Dusseldorf airport yesterday, Fury’s latest stunt was to dedicate his version of the Bette Midler ballad ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ to the Ukrainian, who was sitting ringside.
Fury put on a similar show after defeating Steve Cunningham at Madison Square Garden on his US debut in April 2013 when he gave an impromptu rendition of the Ricky Van Shelton’s song ‘Keep it Between the Lines.’ “For I’m the one with all the glory, and I’ll be the one with all the belts,” Fury sang as German fans revelled in his eccentric performance, and clapped and cheered along with the 6ft 9in fighter.
“I’m not coming to Germany to win on points, I’m going to do a demolition job on Wladimir. I expect a knockout victory,” declared Fury, who had looked light on his feet in the workout, throwing jabs with his 85in wingspan reach as trainer Peter Fury, his uncle, went through their routine on the pads.
“Klitschko’s past opponents came to Germany in the belief they were going to lose,” Fury said. “They came for money, but money isn’t my motivation, winning is my motivation. He’s going to wish he’d never met Tyson Fury, but I can’t make him more nervous than he already is — he’s shaken. Not only am I winning, I’m going to win it in style. I believe this is my destiny. And then I’ll sing everybody a victory song.”
In response to Fury’s latest crooning antics, Klitschko said: “Tyson Fury belongs on Britain’s Got Talent. I don’t want to compete with him in a singing contest. I definitely wouldn’t make it. He has better talent than I do in singing.”
The Ukrainian, too, was light on his feet when he went through his paces — a huge physical specimen, the prominent veins on his arms testament to the power he possesses and which he has utilised to reign for six months short of a decade. For once, though, it is the champion who will have to find a way past the longer reach of his challenger. Meanwhile, the German boxing authorities insisted yesterday that the row over gloves would be resolved by tomorrow and that the manufacturer, Paffen, had dispatched them to both fighters. Klitschko claimed that the gloves dispute was created by Fury as “mental warfare”. The champion said: “There are rules and contracts that need to be adhered to.”
Thomas Puetz, chief executive of the German professional boxers’ association (BDB), said yesterday that “any attempt at the rules meeting to demand different gloves will not be accepted by the BDB.”
Fury’s camp had claimed this week that the original gloves sent to him were unsuitable, and were damaging his thumb in sparring. Another pair had been promised, but the Briton threatened to cancel the fight if they were not delivered on time. Mick Hennessy, Fury’s promoter, told The Daily Telegraph that he had been given assurances by Tom Loeffler, the K2 Promotions CEO, that the gloves were ready, and added that “thousands of travellers and British fans” were expected in Dusseldorf on fight night.
Hennessy, nonetheless, expressed “disappointment” that the weigh-in would not be open to the public. It will take place in a sports store in Essen, 40 miles from Dusseldorf. “We’ve been told it had to be that way because of security measures,” Hennessy said.
The experienced American referee Tony Weeks will take charge of the fight. He has been the third man in the ring for two Klitschko title bouts. The judges have been named as Cesar Ramos (Puerto Rico), Ramon P Cerdan (Argentina) and Raul Caiz, Sr (USA).
— The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2015
