TYSON FURY’S sensational shape proves he toys with reporters as easily as he does opponents.
When the WBC Gypsy King growled through his new Stone Cold Steve Austin goatee that he had downed tools over the delay in confirming a date and location for the undisputed Anthony Joshua fight, his chiselled cheekbones gave him away.
This week, when his official merchandise site posted a photo of the undefeated 6ft 9in ace looking ripped, it was clear for all to see that Fury is fighting fit.
The Morecambe hero is definitely frustrated that he has not boxed – nor been paid – since his iconic February 2020 win over Deontay Wilder, he has even threatened to take on a different opponent than Watford’s WBA, IBF and WBO boss.
But his itchy knuckles have definitely not been hitting the bottle in anger and instead his gym-rat mentality has him ready to rumble at all times.
Featherweight and fellow Traveller Isaac Lowe is almost half Fury’s size but he is a constant companion in and outside the gym.
The Westgate Warrior won a six-rounder on March 12, that Fury attended, and you can bet the 31-0-1 giant did the full camp alongside his little pal.
Fury’s younger brother Hughie – not to be confused with the cousin and fellow heavyweight pro of the same name – has also gone through a dramatic four-stone weight-loss transformation that Tyson will have played a huge part in.
And Ty Mitchell is a light-heavyweight competing on the unlicenced circuit who always seems to be in the Fury gym, working on new skills and making Fury smile, even on the giant heavy bag they have nicknamed ‘Big Bertha’.
Fury likes long runs around Morecambe Bay, during the first lockdown he reached thousands of people every day with live workouts streamed on Instagram.
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And his favourite chef George Lockhart even flew over to help smuggle much-hated vegetables into some of his meals.
Fury’s Detroit-based trainer Sugar Hill Steward came over in the autumn of 2020 but, when Fury’s December 5 fight was cancelled when his purse and opponent could not be agreed, he went back to America.
But Fury is working regularly with Irish cousin and assistant Andy Lee and now has a training partner in former world champ Joseph Parker, who fights Derek Chisora in London on May 1.
Fury will play a major part in the New Zealander’s camp as a sparring partner and friend so he will be kept busy for the whole of April again while promoters on Team AJ and Fury try to get the first leg of the two-fight rivalry arranged.
And Tyson – when he is not pretending to be drinking, dipping his hands in petrol or masturbating seven times – has revealed how he stays in shape and why he plays with the public’s perception of his fitness.
He said: “I have not really stopped training since December 2017, even after the world title fights with Wilder I am in the gym the next day or running 10m, I am always in the gym sparring or messing around.
“If I can have three years out of the ring, come back and school Wilder, then do I really need sparring and warm-up fights?
“The thing with me is, people never know when I am telling the truth or not.
“When I tell the truth, some people don’t believe and if I tell a lie sometimes everyone believes it.
“The proof is in the pudding and everything I have ever said in the past I have backed up.”
The facts are Fury has a family full of big men who like to run and spar and train, he has friends and sparring partners anywhere between nine and 17st.
Little brother Tommy is breaking into the game and even their dad Big John is looking for the Mike Tyson fight when he is not helping to train his sons.
Fighting and training is in Fury’s blood, sweat and tears.
As long as he is in the right mind to train, he will be ready to fight at the drop of a hat and fans have little reason to worry.
But seeing him so trim this far out from a targeted July clash with AJ does raise concerns that he could be ready to burn all the carefully laid plans and fight someone else entirely.
