Former heavyweight rulers, the Klitschko brothers, have launched a scathing attack on lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
Wladimir and Vitali reigned supreme over the heavyweight division in a dominant spell from the mid-2000’s, but have made no secret of their disdain for Fury, after ‘The Gypsy King’ relieved younger brother Wladimir of his titles in November 2015.
Elder brother Vitali, now-Mayor of Kiev, would label the 29-year-old “not good for boxing” in a recent interview with BT Sport.
“Tyson Fury is the world champion of talking – trash talking!” said the former WBC kingpin.
“I wish him all the best but what he did was not good for boxing, is my personal opinion.”
Fury, who has been dogged by mental health issues and drug problems since that fateful night in Dusselforf, is set to return to action next weekend in Manchester against Albanian Sefer Seferi.
However, with Fury banging the drum for a titanic showdown with unified World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, both Wladimir and Vitali were under no illusion as to who they felt was “the man” in the division.
Wladimir – whose heavyweight reign falls second in number of defences to the great Joe Louis – came up short against the British superstar in April of last year, going toe-to-toe at Wembley Stadium in a 2017 ‘Fight of the Year’ epic.
Of the inevitable Joshua-Fury clash, Wladimir would give the edge to Joshua – a man he once labelled his “little bro”.
“It’s not going to be easy for both of them.” said Wladimir.
“I believe a full, complete, fighter is Anthony Joshua. He has been active, more active, and he’s got this talent of being strong and mobile.”
“He [AJ] was born on April 29 in London of last year. Because, he took punishment as well. He got up, he continued, he won the fight.”
It is a sentiment that is shared by Vitali, who would go further and claim that the London 2012 Olympic gold medalist would go on to become a “boxing legend”.
“Right now, Anthony Joshua is world champion.” claimed Klitschko.
“Very soon, [Anthony] Joshua will be a world star and after that a boxing legend.” he finished.
While both men are now retired from the sport, the ill-feeling between Team Klitschko and Team Fury is still apparent.
Following a tempestuous build-up to the fight between then-champion Wladimir and Fury – a build-up that included Fury entering a press-conference dressed as Batman – a scheduled rematch fell-through twice at the eleventh hour.
Initially citing an ankle injury as the reason for the pull-out, Fury would later reveal extensive drug use, claiming to have used cocaine regularly and suffering from mental health-issues. A dispute with UKAD would follow soon after, and Fury would be stripped of the titles he won against Klitschko and has not fought since.
The loss – and the conduct following the bout – is clearly not forgotten by the Klitschko brothers…