Tyson Fury has sensationally claimed that WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was dropped not once but twice when he sparred with Wladimir Klitschko.
Wilder and Fury go head-to-head at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles on Saturday night and tempers have already started to boil over, with a melee breaking out on stage at their pre-fight press conference on Wednesday evening.
It is Fury’s biggest bout since he defeated Klitschko in Dusseldorf in 2015, and the Gypsy King does not believe Wilder will cause him as many problems.
Asked if the American represents a harder test than Klitschko, Fury told reporters: ‘No way. Nowhere near. Wilder isn’t on Wladimir Klitschko’s level.
‘And I heard off a good source that when Klitschko and Wilder sparred, Klitschko dropped him twice. Twice.
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‘He got out of the ring and couldn’t continue. Klitschko didn’t even land a glove on me, never mind drop me.’
Fury outpointed Klitschko to be awarded a unanimous decision, winning the WBA , IBF and WBO belts in the process, though after a long time out of the sport – and only two fights since – many regard Wilder as the favourite for Saturday’s clash.
‘Listen I love being the underdog, I’ve been the underdog my whole life,’ said Fury when told that Wilder is the bookie’s favourite to win.
‘Everybody always writes me off in these fights, but I’m still here and I’m still unbeaten and I’m going to beat Wilder on Saturday night.’
