Minutes into a scheduled press conference in London, Tyson Fury, heavyweight champion, morphed into Tyson Fury, supersized entertainer. Seizing a mic, Fury paced the dais. He complimented his opponent, Francis Ngannou, whom Fury will face Oct. 28 (“You’re one good looking S.O.B,” Fury said), thanked the event’s host, Saudi Arabia, and praised Ngannou for walking away from UFC and betting on himself.
“Everyone said he’s an idiot,” Fury said. “Now he’s going to make $10 million.”
As good as Fury is in the ring—and the undefeated Fury is very good—this is his element. He shakes every hand. He does every interview. He takes every picture. He’s like P.T. Barnum, with power. Even the perfunctory, post-presser face-off—where a shirtless, flabby Fury stood nose to nose with the chiseled Ngannou—was entertaining.
