One of Tyson Fury’s closest friends and training partners, Joseph Parker — a prominent heavyweight in his own right — has lifted the lid on the Gypsy King’s training camp in Thailand, having spent weeks with him under the sun, to get him ready for his long-awaited return to the ring April 11.
Fury fights the Russian giant Arslanbek Makhmudov, a heavyweight who came from the same amateur system that spawned Sergey Kovalev and Alexander Povetkin. And, though he’s attracted criticism for being one-paced, he has a clubbing, cumulative power that can catch an opponent if he’s taken lightly.
But, according to Parker, Fury won’t be taking Makhmudov lightly.
“Tyson works hard, he really does,” the heavyweight told Daily Mail. “He’s taking this fight very seriously, to the point where it’s like he’s preparing as if he’s fighting a world champion. That’s the respect he has for the sport and the game.”
Parker was only supposed to join Fury for two weeks, and brought his family along with him. However, when it was time to go, Tyson apparently asked Joseph if there was any way he could stay longer. And so Parker extended his time in Thailand, to train with him out of the ISS Boxing & Muay Thai club, while the former heavyweight ruled stayed on a boat in the harbor.
During his time with Fury in camp, he saw one thing that was clear. “I know everyone always says this, that it’s the best Tyson Fury we’ve seen in a long time. But I can truly say this is the best I’ve seen him in a long time.”
He continued: “I know he trained hard for the Usyk fights, and I wasn’t involved in those camps, but being in this camp — the mood, the environment, the vibes, the energy — and having no injuries going into a fight, there’s something about that which really helps mentally.
“So I feel like everyone wants to see the best, but you’ll just have to wait and see,” he said.
The Fury vs Makhmudov event airs globally on Netflix.
