Tyson Fury wants to finish Arslanbek Makhmudov with a “brutal knockout” to prove he is back to his best.
After retiring for a year following his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, Fury is returning to boxing against Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
He based himself in Thailand for the bulk of his training camp for this fight and is adamant he will be revitalised for his comeback.
“It’s just doing what I already did in the past but bringing different stuff back to life that I haven’t been doing lately – if a 37-year-old Tyson Fury can do what a 27-year-old Tyson Fury did back in the day. And so I’m really putting things together honestly,” he told Sky Sports.
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Fury is determined to fight his domestic rival Joshua before he retires
“I want a brutal knockout over Makhmudov. It’s going to be fun.”
Former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has been in camp with Fury. He told Sky Sports: “The training here is very difficult and very hard. I’m very happy to be here because I’m actually growing as a fighter myself.
“But to see him perform in the ring against sparring partners and smash everyone up, he caught me with a few shots there as well, it’s very good to see and he is in tip-top shape. I can’t wait to watch him fight.”
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A look at some times boxers seemed to slow down time in a fight and make their opponent miss with everything
Fury insists his time out of boxing has fuelled his motivation further.
“When you start out you want to make money, you want to get a house. You want to get all them things. But after all that you do it because you love it,” Fury said.
“I’m in a position where I do it because I love it, not because I have to do it or I chose to do it financially. I do this now because I’m in love with this game passionately. And having 16 months out the ring, having a year away, makes me even more fonder.”
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Dillian Whyte says Arslanbek Makhmudov could prove to be a very dangerous opponent for Fury
He added: “It’s incredible what an individual can achieve. The most unlikely individual being myself, fat boy, clumsy, from the north – world heavyweight champions are never from the north of England. Unlikely, unlikely, unlikely champion.
“I changed my stars, changed my life and I did everything I ever wanted to do and continuing to do it.”
