Tyson Fury promised his trilogy fight with Derek Chisora would be “a Christmas cracker” despite another cordial exchange between the pair on Thursday.
The strapline for their last meeting in 2014 was ‘Bad Blood’ but a friendship has developed in recent years and more pleasantries were exchanged at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s world heavyweight contest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
While disappointment lingers that WBC belt-holder Fury is not facing Oleksandr Usyk or Anthony Joshua, he was adamant a show would be put on in London’s capital this weekend.
There were no fireworks at this latest fight week event, but the ‘Gypsy King’ promised the 60,000 spectators set to be in attendance to expect a knock-out come Saturday night.
“Whoever fights Derek Chisora is in for a f****** good fight. That is what we know, what we have prepared for and he was prepared to fight so bang, here we are at Tottenham. Just before Christmas and it is going to be a Christmas cracker,” Fury (32-0-1, 23KOs) said.
“I am looking forward to it. I cannot wait to go out there and put a show on.
“Come Saturday there will be no friends. This is a business transaction. When we are in there, we are in fight mode and we will put on a good show. I hear critics talk, but in a two-horse race, never underestimate anybody.
“Derek will come and try to knock me out, I will try to knock him out and it is on like Donkey Kong. Why did I fight Chisora? Like Chisora said, there is a lack of names in the division. Plenty of depth, but not many names.
“I could have fought someone 34-0 from another country and people would say ‘who is this guy?’ But we’ve sold out 60,000 tickets at Tottenham and it is very much of interest. Just before Christmas, let’s imagine it snows and we get a white Christmas here.”
Given the time of year and the fact Spurs’ stadium roof is open, it could be a cold night for those in attendance and the two British boxers.
Fury made his last opponent Dillian Whyte wait before entering the ring at Wembley in April but promised no such repeat on Saturday.
He added: “I am an all-condition boxer. When you go into the ring you don’t feel anything. If you don’t feel punches in the face, you definitely won’t feel the cold.”
While Chisora (33-12, 23KOs) stayed respectful of his latest opponent, the veteran was in a more playful mood with Fury’s trainer SugarHill Steward.
The 38-year-old urged Steward to take the mic at the end of a drama-free press conference only to interrupt every time the American tried to address the media.
It did lead to Fury’s highly-respected trainer briefly standing up, but it passed by before a relaxed face-off occurred between the two heavyweights with promotor Bob Arum – standing at 5ft and 3ins – in the middle.
Chisora insisted: “I am sitting with a man and looking at a man who is giving me an opportunity when Frank Warren didn’t want to give me one, when Bob didn’t want to give me one, when even my own promoter Eddie Hearn didn’t want to give me one.
“Tyson phoned me up and said ‘I want to give you an opportunity’. So for me to sit here and talk s*** about a man who is putting food on my kids’ table? I cannot do that.
“But come Saturday I can guarantee friendship will be out the door and me and this big man will get it on.”
Chisora also teased a special start to his third encounter after the pair agreed a secret wager at Tuesday’s open work-out.
“We want to give you the best first round of heavyweight boxing,” he said.
“Opening bell to this fight will be electric. By the time you sit down, you won’t be sitting down, you will be standing up. First round will be electric.”
