Tyson Fury goaded heavyweight rival Deontay Wilder ahead of his fight with Francesco Pianeta at Windsor Park on Saturday.
Fury’s comeback continues with a showdown against the experienced Pianeta in Belfast where Wilder will be present at ringside in his role as a television analyst for BT Sport, who are screening the event.
Negotiations for the two to meet in December are at an advanced stage and should Fury overcome Pianeta, one of the division’s super-fights will move a step closer.
“If I come through this then Wilder has the chance to fight me for the lineal championship. Let’s face it, he’s not really fought anybody and he’s had 40 fights,” Fury said at a press conference in Belfast.
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Pianeta, who was born in Italy but is based in Germany, has won all but five of his 40 fights with Wladimir Klitschko, Ruslan Chagaev and Oliver McCall the bigger names on his record.
“I study my heavyweights and I know he’s fought some good men. He’s a big strong fella and he knows that if he wins he will fight Wilder instead of me,” Fury said.
“He’s going to try and knock me out. Hopefully he won’t be successful and we’ll put on a show.
“He’s southpaw which is a lot more awkward because there aren’t many of them in the division, so it’s hard to get sparring. But every southpaw I’ve ever fought I’ve knocked out.
“What you’re likely to see from me on Saturday is a heavyweight Sugar Ray Leonard. Anything less is a failure. Judge me on that comment – a heavyweight Sugar Ray Leonard.”
Fury made his comeback in June after two-and-a-half years out of the ring by overwhelming Sefer Seferi inside four rounds having shed in the region of 10st in order to resume fighting.
“The old Tyson Fury is gone, never to be seen again in history. The new Tyson Fury is here now. All I can promise is to put on a good fight,” Fury said.
“I do want to win a world title again so I have to raise my game after three years out of the game nearly and ballooning up to 28stones.
“To lose that weight has been mentally and physically draining and to do it there has to be a want in the brain and I have that. That’s why I’m a sick boxer and I win fights.”
