Tyson Fury insists he is not “untouchable” as he prepares to shake off a fight week free of animosity and go to “war” against Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.
Fury weighed 18st 12lbs 13oz on the eve of his WBC heavyweight title defence, nearly a stone lighter than six months ago when he knocked out Deontay Wilder in a thrilling third fight between the pair.
Speculation has persisted throughout the build-up that Fury may look to keep the fight at a distance and frustrate Whyte, but the self-styled Gypsy King was adamant his defence is not impregnable.
While he has beaten everyone he has faced, Fury was downed four times in his trilogy against Wilder and also had to rise from the canvas to beat Neven Pajkic in 2011 and Steve Cunningham two years later.
“I’m not sure about all this outboxing – unless I’m Houdini, I can definitely hit them all, for sure, but I’ve definitely been hit before,” said Fury, who has won 31 and drawn one of his 32 fights.
“I’ve been bounced off the canvas more times than a bouncy ball. I’m not this untouchable boxer everyone thinks I might be. I’m just a normal boxing man who has got lucky 32 times in a row, I think!
“Don’t doubt us, we’re going to put a show on, like no other before."
Fury and Whyte were training partners on several occasions earlier in their careers. When they have been together this there has been a surprising lack of friction, with the good will continuing at Friday’s weigh-in, where Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) scaled 18st 1lb 4oz.
They briefly danced on stage alongside one another as the music blared, having turned to face the assembled crowd, although a fired-up Fury insisted matters would be more serious when they next meet.
“[Whyte is] a decent bloke,” added Fury. “He’s got some morals and we got along like a house on fire in training camps.
Fury destroys Wilder in last fight
“He’s definitely a fearless guy, I’ve sparred him a lot in the past and he didn’t show any weaknesses at all. I’m not going to sit here and slate the fella because I’ve not got anything to slate him on.”
Fury, 33, and Whyte, 34, were in a playful spirits at the final stare down. The 6ft 9in Fury emphasised his five-inch height advantage by standing on his tiptoes at Wembley and Whyte played along by crouching down, with the pair shaking hands, trading baseball caps and sharing wide grins.
Fury, who has repeatedly suggested he will retire whatever the outcome this weekend, was clear the mood will be different when they next meet.
“We’re going to give you a real fight,” said Fury. “Don’t doubt us, we’re going to put a show on like no other before. It’s going to be a war, don’t worry about that.”
This will be Fury’s first fight on UK soil since August 2018, with his last five bouts in the United States, and it is expected to attract an estimated 94,000 spectators – a post-war British record.
Whyte was first installed as the WBC’s No 1 contender four years ago but has kept improving since then.
He has seen off the likes of Joseph Parker and Oscar Rivas in recent years before avenging his defeat to Alexander Povetkin by stopping the Russian in his last bout 13 months ago.
“Nothing is worth this wait, but we are here,” said Whyte. “I’m not someone who really complains or cries about things, but I should have had my title shot at least two years ago.
“I’m two years more seasoned, I have been through ups and down in those two years, so I am more mature as a person and a fighter.
“Maybe two years ago it wouldn’t have been as big as it is now, so in another way it could be worth the wait.”
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
5pm: Sweihan – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Shamakh, Fernando Jara (jockey), Jean-Claude Picout (trainer)
5.30pm: Al Shamkha – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Daad, Dane O’Neill, Jaber Bittar
6pm: Shakbout City – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Ghayyar, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Gold Silver, Sandro Paiva, Ibrahim Aseel
7pm: Masdar City – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Khalifa City – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Ranchero, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
