Malik Scott, trainer of Deontay Wilder, has labelled Tyson Fury as the ‘sneakiest’ fighter in the history of the sport, whilst offering some words of wisdom to Derek Chisora ahead of their trilogy.
Scott was in the corner of Wilder in his last fight against the WBC champion, where ‘The Bronze Bomber’ managed to score two knockdowns, a vast improvement from his performance in his second fight with Fury.
Scott highlighted that Fury may struggle with complacency ahead of his fight with Chisora, with many fans believing the bout to be a mismatch.
In an interview on BT Sport’s Chatterbox, Scott explained what he meant by Fury being ‘sneaky’, and how it was a good thing.
“You have to go with Fury as far as being a favourite, but one thing we know for sure about Derek [Chisora] is that he is going to come and he is going to run that engine that he has all the way into the ground. He has a very, very good engine.
You have to be extremely sneaky when you’re fighting the most sneakiest fighter in the history of the sport. I don’t mean in a bad way, I mean that in aa good way.
He’s [Fury] very unorthodox, he’s very sneaky, one minute he’s doing this style, the next minute he’s throwing that style too. The game plan for Fury has already been written up.”
Scott advised Chisora to fight his own fight and not play to ‘The Gypsy King’s strengths.
“I would tell him that once he gets close, don’t make silent agreements with Tyson Fury. Tyson Fury is someone that understands physicality, Tyson Fury is someone that, if you allow him to lean on you, he will lean on you. If you become very, very violent with him when he gets close, he will go back to being the Tyson Fury [fighting] on the outside or he will go back to taking things for granted, like he did in the trilogy with us.
Tyson Fury never fights in the high guard coming forward, but when he feels as though he is in control, he will do that and that almost cost him the fight with us.”
He said that, despite what many fans would say, Fury makes mistakes and they must be capitalised on – going onto claim oxymoronically that Fury is in vulnerable when he’s in control.
“Fury, after three or four rounds against any fighter, he starts taking things for granted, he starts taking life for granted. In those moments, you’ve got to take advantage of his mistakes. You’ve got to take advantage of his vulnerabilities right there and Derek has to do that. He can’t make silent agreements when he gets close, he’s got to work his free hand, you’ve got to beat Tyson Fury up on the inside as much as you can. What he can’t do, is get close and allow Tyson to hold him.
Tyson Fury, when he is in control, is very vulnerable.”
Wilder and Malik Scott may well get another chance to put their game plan into practice against the WBC Champion, with Wilder fighting Andy Ruiz in a final eliminator for the WBC title. The victor becomes the mandatory challenger for Fury’s belt.
Whilst no date has been announced for Wilder’s fight, Tyson Fury will face Derek Chisora on December 3rd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the fight will be available to purchase on BT Sport Box Office.