It might not have been obvious from the 30 minutes of constant cross-talking, post-watershed language and earnest incitement to body-sparring that passed as Tyson Fury’s first pre-fight press conference but he does not believe in mind games.

The Gypsy King and the Bronze Bomber, Deontay Wilder, began their three-day, three-city, transatlantic tour in London’s Olympic village on Monday to promote their 1 December world title fight.

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Both sides needed to strike an awkward balance, feisty enough to sell pay per view but respectful enough to let everyone know this was a real match‑up at the summit of the heavyweight division. Anthony Joshua’s name was notable by its absence.

In public Fury let rip at Wilder, calling him, among other things, an idiot, a dosser, a hollow shell and an easy touch. “He’s a lemon and I’m going to squeeze him nice and hard.” Wilder was often talked over while his zingers had an oddly homely turn. “I’m about to put him in the oven and make a muffin,” he said at one point.

In the climax of the event Fury insisted he wanted to “feel the power” of the infamous knock-out merchant and invited Wilder to take a shot. He duly stepped up and gave the Englishman half a shove. Frank Warren positioned himself beneath the pair and things calmed down after everyone had got their photo.

The conclusion was that Fury had rattled Wilder in the first of no doubt many exchanges before the fight for the WBC crown in the Los Angeles Staples Centre. But away from the cameras there was a different impression. Wilder was relaxed, willing to talk at length about his career and his background as the child of clergy in rural Alabama. He was also keen to ponder what the absence of Pete Fury, uncle and long-time trainer, might have on his opponent.

The lineal champion, meanwhile, was almost a different person. The bravado was gone and instead there were only encomiums of praise for his opponent. And while Fury claimed he was “living in Wilder’s head” at the moment, he also said it did not matter at all.

“This is about us two expressing our feelings to one another and showing how much we love each other and how much this is big-time boxing,” Fury said. “All the mind games don’t really mean anything at all. Nothing.

“Anything that’s happened in the past you can forget about it. Forget about all the fights I’ve had, the 27 fights, they don’t mean squat going in on the night. It’s one man versus one man in one fight.

“After the fight I’m not so interested in,” he went on. “I’m only focusing on this fight, being in that ring for 36 minutes and doing what I do best. Any man or woman can only do their best in life and, if it ain’t good enough, there’s no shame in losing to a better person.

“But have the guts to try and follow that dream. And me personally, if I can’t be the best, then I don’t want to be the rest. I don’t want to be anything else than the best. And that’s all she wrote.”

The Wilder-Fury tour continues in the US until Wednesday.