Tyson Fury has admitted that underestimating underdog Tom Schwarz would be a grave mistake but that he can “have a bad day but can grind victories out” as he prepares to meet the unbeaten German heavyweight here at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night.
“I’m the best of my era and if I can’t beat Tom Schwarz, I might as well retire,” Fury told Telegraph Sport from his camp on the southern outskirts of Las Vegas.
Yet the self-styled “Gypsy King” admitted that everything is on the line in every fight at this level. “There is a difference between a man who fights well under pressure, and the man who goes to the office not feeling great and still gets a victory. I can have a bad day, but I can still grind victories out of bad days,” said the 30-year-old, who is going into the first of his multi-fight deal signed four months ago with ESPN and worth £80 million.
“It’s a difference in champions. If I can’t beat Tom Schwarz then what is the point in boxing anymore? I must be shot.
“We won’t know until we get in there. A lot of people say I might be chinny after the Deontay Wilder fight. We don’t know. It’s exciting times.”
Unbeaten Fury, who was installed as Ring magazine No 1 in its ratings after Anthony Joshua’s defeat by Andy Ruiz Jnr in New York last week, fought to a disputed draw with Wilder for the World Boxing Council in Los Angeles seven months ago. The pair are expected to have a rematch in February 2020. But for now, Schwarz is in the way of that progressing.
Fury offered his assessment of his 25-year-old opponent who has had 24 fights, all victories, albeit with few notable scalps. “He’s 6ft 6in, weighs 250lb, he’s unbeaten, ranked No 2 by the WBO [World Boxing Organisation]and is in the top 10 of the IBF [International Boxing Federation]. Not a
pretender by any shadow of the imagination,” said the man who first became the No 1 in the world in November 2015 when he beat Wladimir Klitschko on points.
“Schwarz has boxed limited opposition. He’s never been on the big stage before. Never fought a lineal champion before. Has a lot to work on. Leaky defence, not the best footwork in the world and looks quite fragile. He carries his left hand low, hasn’t got the fastest feet, defence ain’t great, doesn’t box on the move – typical German style. I should beat this guy, but many worse things have happened at sea.”
Yet Fury knows there are risks. “A lot of people didn’t expect Ruiz to beat Joshua, but he did. Ruiz isn’t ranked anywhere near as high as Tom. Tom is highly ranked, but who has he fought? Look, I’m a realist, I’m not going to butter him up to sell the fight. The thing is, if I can’t beat Tom Schwarz then I need to retire, because I’m not going anywhere. I said that about the Klitschko fight… I’m a realist. I’m not going to say I had a panic attack or I had an off day.
“I believe, many believe, that now I’m the best of my era. I went to Germany and beat Wladimir Klitschko. Came to America and beat Deontay Wilder. Today the Ring magazine put me back at No 1 where I belong. They don’t get it wrong. Wilder at two. Ruiz at three and Joshua at four. I believe that’s fair.
“There was a three-horse race – three unbeaten heavyweights – and then there were two. I’ve already beaten the guy who is at two, so unless someone we don’t know about comes out of the woodwork, then I’ve already cemented my place as the best in.