Deontay Wilder says that Tyson Fury opting to work with famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach ahead of their blockbuster bout suggests that his opponent is worried about what the ‘Bronze Bomber’ will bring to the ring next month.
Undefeated WBC champion Wilder, who has eight knockouts in his eight title defenses to date, said that Fury is exhibiting “nervous behavior” ahead of the December 1 bout, as evidenced by his decision to switch up his training regimen in advance of the contest.
“I’m a different monster in that ring and [Fury] knows it. That’s why he had to have three trainers. I don’t have to have nothing but the ones that I’ve been with. But if he’s such a big guy and he’s supposed to be able to do all of this s***, why does he need to have so many trainers for little old me?” Wilder said via Boxing Scene.
Roach, a famed trainer who has worked with some of the sport’s all-time greats like Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya, has been working with Fury at his Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California for more than three weeks. Fury has also been training at elevation at The Summit in Big Bear since early October.
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But given that Fury has been somewhat dismissive of Wilder’s style in interviews ahead of the bout, Wilder suggests that his opponent is more worried about what he is set to face in the ring than he is letting on.
“[I’m] someone who is supposed to only have a right hand, can’t box, or somebody who doesn’t go by the textbook. Why do all these fighters have to have so many resources and different things just to fight little old me?...If he says there’s not a man born of women that will be able to beat him, the why in the f*** is he switching up on all of his trainers?
Fury’s father Peter has served as his son’s primary coach throughout the majority of his boxing career but he was denied a US visa, forcing Tyson to seek alternate trainers - something Wilder says will be an advantage to him.
“I would have been happier if he had Peter. That’s who he really needs, because his only claim to this game is beating [Wladimir] Klitschko, and Peter was the one who was with him for that. Peter knows him and knows what he’s about,” said Wilder.
“So when you don’t have your original trainer who knows you in and out and who has been with you from the start, and you start [going] with other trainers and seeing who has a name out there, they don’t know you. In this short period of one month’s time, [other trainers are] not going to fully get to know you. His style was created by another trainer [Peter Fury] from the beginning, so to me, that seems like nervous behavior.”
Whichever version of Tyson Fury it is that shows up at The Staples Center in Los Angeles early next month, Deontay Wilder just hopes it is the best one possible.
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“It doesn’t matter to me. I want him to be comfortable and to get the trainer that he feels will bring the best out of Tyson Fury. I want the best Tyson Fury that we can possibly get,” said Wilder.
“But I’m already hearing excuses. Every time I fight, I get f***ing excuses, and I’m tired of it. In this fight, I will knock him out,” he added.