Tyson Fury Eyes Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi Fame with Wladimir Klitschko Win
World heavyweight title contender Tyson Fury has said he is aiming to become a global phenomenon on par with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as he attempts to beat champion Wladimir Klitschko in Germany on Saturday.
The colourful Brit proclaimed he wants to emulate namesake Mike Tyson's achievement in the heavyweight division, and said he has ambitions to reach a status as one of the top sportsmen on the planet, as reported by David Anderson of the Mirror:
"When Mike Tyson was world heavyweight champion, he would have ranked with the Messis and Ronaldos of today.
Klitschko, he doesn’t rank up there with those superstars of today. Take him out of Germany and he’s not really that well known.
But me, for instance, when I beat him, I can be a global phenomenon because of my personality, my boxing style and the way I conduct myself.
I could be one of the most famous sporting stars in the country - in the world. A win over Wladimir Klitschko would put me right up there with those great players.
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Klitschko unified the division when he beat David Haye in 2011, and he is undefeated in over a decade. However, Fury is without a loss in his professional career, and he will force the Ukrainian out of his comfort zone with his unconventional approach.
| 64-3, 53 KOs | Record | 24-0, 18 KOs |
| 79% | KO Percentage | 75% |
| 39 | Age | 27 |
| Orthodox | Stance | Orthodox |
| 6'6" | Height | 6'9" |
| 81" | Reach | 85" |
Fury is due to earn the biggest purse of his career, as a win could net him £3.5 million, but the contender admitted he has further motivations for wanting to take Klitschko's belts, per Anderson: "Britain has not had a white heavyweight champion of the world since Bob Fitzsimmons over a hundred years ago. I want to change that. I know how big a deal this is and I want to make history. I’m the Gypsy King and I want to be the first gypsy to win the world heavyweight title.”
Fury has contributed to the usual pre-world-title-fight bravado with a cacophony of verbal claims, but his best chance on Saturday will be a shock knockout win over the metronomic champion.
Klitschko has knocked out the vast majority of his opponents in his 64-fight career, but it's his jab that will cause the Brit problems at the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf.
However, if Fury turns the fight into a brawl and unsettles the champion in the early rounds—a shock result is not beyond the realms of possibility.
Fury doesn't possess a huge knockout punch, and he has been on the canvas against much lesser opponents than Klitschko's pedigree, but he has worked hard to get inside his opponent's head in recent months.
Marty Mulcahey of UNCLive.com quoted former champion Lennox Lewis highlighting the age gap between the fighters, but said he expects the Ukrainian to prevail:
"'He [Klitschko] will reach the point where he can no longer punish himself in training like a 20 or 30-year-old. You reach the stage when you can’t just jump out bed and flog yourself. Also the risk of injury increases. The biological clock is ticking and it happens to be the toughest rival.'
Lewis leaned toward picking Klitschko in the showdown between experience and youth, 'He must have patience. At some point, the moment will arise where you can use the right.'
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Fury's claims of a potential win against Klitschko are clouded by the fact he has not operated on the world stage before.
He appears content in his moment in the spotlight as fight fans prepare for the exciting bout, but the difference in experience levels could be telling on Saturday night.
The champion is ageing, but he has looked in great shape in the years since beating Haye, and it is unlikely he will have conditioning problems against Fury.
However, if the Brit catches him in the opening exchanges, it will be harder for Klitschko to operate behind the jab, forcing a fascinating contest to ensue.
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