Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury: Gypsy King hails ‘awesome’ Anthony Joshua and ‘good-looking’ Eddie Hearn in unlikely interview
The former unified heavyweight champion has been unusually complimentary of his supposed enemies
Tyson Fury has showered Anthony Joshua and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, with compliments ahead of his fight against Deontay Wilder.
The 30-year-old former heavyweight world champion is renowned for his loud-mouthed, trash talking attitude, however, he veered away from this persona in an in-depth interview during his training camp for the 1 December clash with Wilder in Los Angeles.
When asked about his apparent dislike for Joshua’s promoter, Hearn, Fury told the “I think he’s a decent bloke to be honest. He’s funny, charismatic, young, good-looking, tall – everything a good promoter should be. He’s British, got good dress sense.
“I don’t dislike Eddie, I think he’s a nice fella. When I’ve been in his company we always have a laugh and a chat. I understand it’s just business…
“I could never say Eddie Hearn is a bad promoter or a bad manager because look what he’s done with Joshua. I don’t believe anybody else could have done the same job in the world.”
The conversation continued and then soon turned to Anthony Joshua himself, who has publicly exchanged words with Tyson Fury in the past.
Only a few weeks back, Fury told a story in which he claimed to have called AJ out for a street fight, yet on this occasion he gave a far more favourable opinion.
When asked to assess his rival’s recent KO win over Alexander Povetkin, he said: “I thought he done really well to be fair, I thought AJ handled it terrifically.
“Povetkin is nobody’s fool, Povetkin’s a dangerous customer. The only person to ever beat him was Wladimir. There’s no shame in losing to Wladimir Klitschko.
“I thought he [Joshua] did fantastic to win and carry on what he’s doing for boxing.”
Further pressed to reveal his thoughts on a potential match-up between himself and Anthony Joshua, Fury added: “I want to say this, but I don’t want people to think I’m being nasty towards him.
“He has the awesome power and the strength and the body and the mass and everything else that goes with that type, but he doesn’t have my boxing ability.
“Anybody who knows boxing will tell you. Unless he catches me with a big punch he can’t win really.
“Even the worst Tyson Fury there’s ever been would give him a hard night because styles make fights.
“Not because I’m so great at what I do, it’s just because I’d be awkward for someone with his style.
“I think he’s awesome. As a fan and as a boxing enthusiast I think he’s a very awesome specimen of a man.”
