‘We will get rid of him’ – Tyson Fury will KO Deontay Wilder in the later rounds, says legendary trainer Freddie Roach
The American also believes a first-round stoppage is not beyond the realms of possibility for the Gypsy King
Tyson Fury will break Deontay Wilder down and knock him out in the later rounds of their monumental heavyweight clash.
That's according to legendary trainer Freddie Roach, who will be in Fury's corner at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
The two undefeated heavyweights will square off with Wilder's WBC heavyweight title on the line, in literally the biggest fight of the year.
Pugilist purists believe 6"9 Fury will use his superior footwork and movement to confuse the hard-hitting American, who allegedly nearly blinded Audley Harrison when they sparred.
However Roach, who will be working as the 30-year-old's cutman on the night, believes the Brit is the 'better puncher' and will stop Wilder.
He told Kugan Cassius for iFL TV: "We've been working every day and his trainer, Ben [Davison], was courteous enough to let me do the mitts with him a couple of times and we trade off every day and work on strategies and so forth.
"That's where I learned he is not just a good boxer, he is a very good puncher also. Especially from the southpaw side - I like that power he has in that left hand.
"He throws it really, really hard and I asked him 'Are you left handed?' and he said 'I was born left-handed'.
"He does have very good power also. I know the other guy is supposed to win by knockout and we are supposed to outbox him.
"We're not going to outbox this guy; we'll outbox him until he's ready to go and then when he's ready to go, we will get rid of him."
Wilder has knocked out every man to have ever set foot in the ring with him, while Fury possesses a much more modest knockout record of 70% of his 27 wins coming by stoppage.
The final press conference descended into anarchy, with both men gesticulating and shoving one another before eventually being separated.
However, in the media scrum afterwards, Wilder screamed at a journalist in frustration which has led many to believe the 'Gypsy King' has got his man rattled.
When pushed for a prediction, Roach was more than reaffirm his belief his fighter will shock the world once again.
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The 58-year-old added: "He asked me a week ago, 'Freddie, what if I go in there and just go after him and knock him out in the first round?'
"And I said 'You can do that, I know you can do that'. But I think there's a smarter way to do that and less dangerous.
"But boxing is dangerous, we all know that and we accept that going into the fight. So I didn't take it away from him, I didn't give it to him but if he feels that in the first round, I welcome to go.
"I still say I have the better puncher and I think they are underestimating our power.
"They think we are just a mover and boxer. But he is much, much more than that."