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Klitschko and Fury get nasty at Manchester press conference

Fighters Network
27
Apr
Tyson Fury (R) out-reaching Wladimir Klitschko on his way to become the RING, IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion. Only one more belt remains: the WBC strap held by American Deontay Wilder. (Photo by Lars Baron - Getty Images)

Tyson Fury (R) out-reaching Wladimir Klitschko on his way to become the RING, IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion. (Photo by Lars Baron – Getty Images)

Heavyweight duo Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko officially announced their July 9 rematch in Manchester, England, today and it was the latter who shockingly initiated the foul language before a throng of assembled media.

Klitschko, who is rated No. 1 by THE RING, behind champion Fury, is generally regarded as one of the most professional and polite athletes in world sport, but the Ukrainian star clearly touched down on U.K. soil with the intention of ruffling feathers and he didn’t miss the mark.

“In the past months I’ve gone through a lot of emotions,” said Klitschko, who surrendered his heavyweight titles to Fury on a unanimous decision last November. “I can confirm that I made a mistake in Dusseldorf and that mistake cost me. It’s not easy to fight a challenger with great skills like Fury has, otherwise he wouldn’t take the titles.

“However, I was looking forward to having a champion that represents the sport in a good way; someone that even I can look up to. But what comes out of Fury’s mouth is disrespectful; for example all homosexual men and women, like pedophiles, belong in jail. All women belong in the kitchen or on their back. That means Elton John and the Queen. On behalf of the world I want to say (to Tyson Fury) – f_ck off.”



Fury, who also holds WBA and WBO heavyweight titles, didn’t require a second invitation and responded in kind.

“It seems that Wladimir has found his bollocks and swore,” said the enigmatic Englishman. “He can make all the excuses he wants but he got beat fair and square on his own turf. You’re going to have to come 1000 times better than last time because you landed four punches in 12 rounds.

“The reason (Wladimir) was victorious for 11 (consecutive) years is because he didn’t fight anyone with bollocks. He couldn’t cheat us with the ring canvas, or the gloves and as soon as it was fair and square he couldn’t win. The outcome of the fight will be different this time; I’ll knock him out in one round.”

The champion later removed his t-shirt to expose a large girth and said, “There’s what you let beat you Wlad. A fat man. I don’t even take boxing seriously and I still beat you. How embarrassing is that? I hate boxing, but I’m just so f_cking good at it that I can’t stop. I get paid all this money for knocking over a few bums.”

Both men predicted that judges will not be required on July 9.

Tom Gray is a member of the British Boxing Writers’ Association and has contributed to various publications. Follow him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing

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July 2016

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