I met Tyson Fury a few times on his way up, but the first time I really had any dealings with him was when he fought Dereck Chisora the first time.

That was a nightmare for me as a promoter, Dereck came in overweight and he was dreadful. Tyson did what he had to in that fight, but I remember I quite took to him. I got on with him. I liked him from the off. What you see is what you get with Tyson. He was funny. We had to deal with typical Mick Hennessy before the fight, they were trying to drum up attention for the fight and start arguments.



I wasn’t standing for that, but I remember speaking to Tyson for a while after the fight. I wished him the best because the best man won. We went our separate ways. Then he came with me for a while, got him a couple of fights and he fought Chisora again.

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That was an eliminator to get him into the top spot to fight Wladimir Klitschko, and he done a job on Chisora. He was really good to work with, his problem then was his management weren’t so good to work with. Tyson has matured since those days. It’s no secret the problems he’s had, but he seems a better person for everything that’s happened to him.


We’d been talking for a while back and forth before we officially announced our partnership last April. I was checking in with a few texts, hoping he was alright. I knew he was having all these problems with UK Anti-Doping, he was banned, and I was wondering why it was taking so long to resolve.

Fury twice beat Warren’s fighter Chisora (Picture: Getty)

It was ridiculous what happened to him, it was two years before he got his case heard. I couldn’t understand that. So we talked about that, but also just little things too. Then suddenly I got a phonecall from him, we got together and done a deal. It was quick to be honest, we shook hands and it was done.

Our initial plan was nowhere near how it’s turned it. It was basically have three or four fights before a possible title fight. Tyson though was feeling good and looked good. The opportunity came up and he grabbed it. I couldn’t stop him.

He said originally he wanted to fight for a world title within a year. It will be just five months on Saturday since he made his comeback in June. Obviously, he changed his mind. It’s a funny thing, with all his problems, it seems boxing has been his saviour. It’s given him direction and motivation. Wanting to regain his titles and fight the best has got the best out of him.

The condition he’s in, I think he’s in better condition now than when he fought Klitschko. That’s remarkable. The thing about Tyson is he’s got no miles on the clock. He’s not been in any wars as a fighter. He’s a well preserved 30-year-old, and 30 is pretty young for a heavyweight.

Fury believes he’s never been fitter (Picture: AP)

And people forget, he had one fight in 2015 before he fought Klitschko. For so many fighters, but Tyson especially, it’s the mental side of things. If that’s good then the rest follows suit.



That’s why I’ve not had any doubts about Tyson in the last 12 months. The first two fights, let’s be honest, he was training to make the weight not to fight. The first opponent was a disappointment from my point of view.

Sefer Seferi folded, he didn’t want to know and Tyson didn’t get the rounds I wanted for him. I never doubted his commitment, he’s single minded in that.

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He knows what he wants, and he’s not an idiot because he knows what he’s got to do to achieve it. I was always convinced he could get back to where he was. I thought it might take longer, but having said that you have to look at who the two heavyweight champions are: Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.

It’s my take that the Tyson Fury that beat Klitschko would beat both those champions. Can he get back to that? Even if he gets back to 80 or 90 per cent, I’d back him to beat Wilder and Joshua. Tyson has always been strong on the mental side of boxing, but his mental desire heading into this fight is stronger than ever.

He’s a student of the game and a clever, clever fighter. He’s one of those fighters that can adapt. He can fight southpaw or orthodox, on the offensive or defensive.

Wilder has 39 knockouts in 40 pro fights (Picture: AP)

He’s got lots of different gameplans and in a fight he can bring them into play when he needs to.


That’s what makes him stand out against these champions. Joshua and Wilder do the same thing every fight. Joshua has got the same predictable pattern of how he fights, as has Wilder in the way he’s unpredictably predictable.

He’ll throw these shots from out of the blue from awkward angles, but if you keep him on the back foot then you can beat him. If Tyson can keep him on the end of a real strong jab then Wilder will get discouraged.

Joshua wants Wilder to win so he can fight him in April (Picture: Getty)

Matchroom and Eddie Hearn didn’t want Joshua to fight Wilder. We all know that. If Tyson beats Wilder, they certainly won’t want to fight Tyson. Barry Hearn has said himself Joshua is a long-term project and he doesn’t care if Joshua never fights Wilder or Fury.

That tells you where they’re at. They don’t have any intention of fighting Wilder at Wembley in April. Providing Dillian Whyte beats Chisora, that’s who Joshua will fight next.

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