Tyson Fury vs. Wladimir Klitschko 2: Key Takeaways from Press Conference

Tyson Fury taunted and mocked Wladimir Klitschko during a press conference on Wednesday, after the Ukrainian told his rival to "f--k off."

The Ukrainian legend, who was the heavyweight champion for nine years before he lost to Fury, faces the Englishman again in Manchester on July 9.

In the pair's first pre-fight press conference, Klitschko did not hold back as he slammed Fury for his behaviour since becoming champion, per the Telegraph's Luke Brown:

"

I am not okay with how Fury represents the sport. He makes a lot of statements that are disrespectful. I will not say a lot, I will be short in my speech, but I would never say homosexuals are paedophiles who belong in jail. Or that women belong in the kitchen or on their back. Is that where he thinks Elton John and the Queen belong.

I would like to say to Tyson Fury: F--k off.

"

Unsurprisingly, Fury responded in kind, per Brown: "Klitschko has found his b------t! He can make all of his excuses—'ooo, my fingernails broke'—but he was beaten on his own turf. He was whooped. He landed about four shots in 12 rounds. He is a hall of dogs--t fighter in my eyes. If he can’t land a punch on a fat gippo, he must be s--t."

He also hit back at Klitschko's suggestion that he would knock Fury out, per the Manchester Evening News' Sheldan Keay (warning: NSFW language):

Meanwhile, ITV Granada's Chris Hall provided further footage from the press conference that highlighted the differing personalities of the two fighters:

Klitschko started the day by claiming he was "glad" he lost his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles to Fury last November. He insisted things will be different in the rematch, per BBC 5 Live (h/t BBC Sport):

"

Losing feels good. I'm glad that my hand was not raised that night.

Failure is not an option unless it is the only way to get better, and I had to get better. I needed a push to get better and I got it. I feel it.

I didn't show my full potential in the fight. Physically I was in one of my best shapes, but mentally I wasn't there, not present in the ring. 

After a while, you get used to defending and not conquering the man in front of you. It will be different on 9 July.

"

Fury's defeat of Klitshcko at the end of last year was a huge shock, as the 40-year-old had dominated the division for the previous decade. But the self-styled Gypsy King is now fancied to win again when the pair face off at the Manchester Arena.

Ben Hoskins/Getty Images

Fury will have the home advantage this time around and will likely have massive support from his hometown.

But Klitschko believes he will have plenty of backing as well and said he is "embarrassed" that Fury is the current heavyweight champion, per talkSPORT's Sports Breakfast show (via MailOnline's Alex Sharp):

"

I'm embarrassed for the sport of boxing to have a heavyweight champion like Tyson Fury. I do not accept whatever comes out of his mouth, which is disgraceful to a lot of people. 

The statements he is making are definitely not the statements a heavyweight champion have to use and say.

"

The 27-year-old Englishman is a controversial figure. He has been widely criticised for a variety of social media outbursts, most recently going on an extraordinary Twitter rant against IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn.

Comments he has made about women, homosexuality and abortion have also caused widespread outrage.

As a result, he has become unpopular among certain sections of the boxing world, and there will undoubtedly be those who are eager to see him lose to Klitschko.

But Fury is the champion, and he proved that he can live up to all his talk by beating Klitschko in 2015—exactly as he said he would.

He is no less confident this time around and is even looking past the July fight to who he will take on after he has defended his titles, per BoxNation:

He is seemingly on a collision course with fellow Englishman Joshua, the 2012 Olympic gold medallist who won the IBF title last time out against Charles Martin, tallying his 16th knockout in as many professional bouts.

Such a fight would capture the imagination of boxing fans in Britain and across the world, but Fury must first see off Klitschko, who is clearly confident he can win his titles back.