Deontay Wilder has claimed to have inside knowledge about his October 9th opponent Tyson Fury’s recent sparring sessions.
The pair will meet face one another next month for the third time, but Wilder has ratcheted up the war of words already, speculating that Fury has been beaten up repeatedly in the run up to their fight.
Fury is the current WBC heavyweight world champion having won the rematch against Wilder last year via a seventh round TKO.
A third bout, which both fighters are contractually obligated to partake in, was originally scheduled for this summer, only for it to be pushed back to the 9th of October due to an outbreak of Covid in Fury’s camp.
Wilder, however, is dubious over such claims, putting forth the theory in a recent interview that the fight may have been delayed due to Fury’s poor preparation.
The ‘Bronze Bomber’ told the PBC podcast: “I’m ready. I hope they are ready. I hope they have their priorities in line. Their game-plan, how they are going to approach the fight.
“I know he wasn’t doing well in camp. The young guys were piecing him up.”
Fury has previously used Michael Hunter, Christian Thun, Jared Anderson and Efe Ajagba as sparring partners ahead of his third bout with the former WBC world champion.
Wilder said about his own preparations: “Sparring has been amazing. I can’t say names but just know there have been a lot of people on the canvas.”
Regarding his familiar British opponent, he added: “Hopefully he (Fury) is confident to go through [with the fight] and not have anything go wrong.”
He also promised that fans would see “a reinvented Deontay Wilder. Something you’ve never seen before. In the time off we have done nothing but work, work, work. Even when my body rested, my mind was still at it.”
The American is not alone in expressing doubts over the viability of the October event, as Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn recently suggested that a lack of ticket sales could jeopordise the WBC title showdown.
Hearn’s own fighter, Anthony Joshua, is in action later this month, when the 31-year-old will attempt to defend his IBF, WBA and WBO belts.
Should Joshua and Fury come through their respective title defenses unscathed, the pair are set to resume negotiations over an undisputed superfight – likely to take place sometime next year.
Wilder, meanwhile, who never got the opportunity to unify against Joshua during his time as a world champion, is intending to spoil the party next month. For the moment, avenging his only career defeat is the Alabama-native’s sole focus.
“I’m a king. When a king falls he has to strategise, and get back up. There is no point in moping, sitting back. You’ve got to pick yourself up, make yourself and the people around you stronger,” Wilder concluded.