In an extract from his autobiography, Gloves Off, Tyson Fury has revealed that he and Dillian Whyte were in dialogue as their fight progressed in front of close to 100,000 fans.
Fury’s homecoming fight after a trilogy of scraps with Deontay Wilder in the States was an extravagant affair. After fireworks and high-production ring walks, ‘The Gypsy King’ graced his loyal British subjects with a statement performance against the mandatory challenge for his WBC belt, Whyte.
Despite the bizarre build-up – namely the fact that the opponent was nowhere to be seen for most of it – the fight itself didn’t disappoint, if you’re a Fury fan that is. All in all, it looked like a simple night at the office for the champion.
In his latest book, Fury has let fans into his head in the moments leading up to his stoppage victory.
“Timing was everything in a war like this. Although my opponent was obviously vulnerable, there was no point in me playing up to the crowd, or toying with him like a mouse. My priority was to get the job done, with no messing around, but I had to strike at the right time. In the fifth I hit him with a left hook to the body, slipping inside and breaking him with the shot.”
Once he could see Whyte was in pain, that’s when the talking started.
“He was hurting. I could tell because his arms dropped immediately. ‘I’ve just hurt The Bodysnatcher with a left hook to the body,’ I said. ‘Are you hurting, Bodysnatcher?’ Whyte grimaced through his gumshield. ‘I am,’ he mumbled. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He’d admitted it. ‘Right then, you’re going to get some more now.’
Fury goes on to reveal that he’s as much of a wind-up merchant inside the ropes as he is out, claiming that he mocked and laughed at Whyte as the Brixton man tried to fire back.
“I took my time and picked the strikes, snapping Whyte’s head back again, waiting for his weaker side to open up for the perfect bomb. He was swinging it wildly and missing by miles. I laughed at him. ‘You think that’s ever going to hit me? You must be joking.’”
The final knockout punch was an uppercut in the sixth and, as they say, all she wrote. It’s not, however, all Fury wrote, as the well-received book covers much more.
Fury versus Chisora 3 is next for the man from Morecambe, with a much anticipated undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk looking likely for early next year should he come through ‘Del Boy’ unscathed.