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Klitschko and Fury (right) fight on Saturday in Germany. AP/Press Association Images
fists of fury

Fury in 'peak condition' ahead of Klitschko showdown

World-title challenger 100 per cent prepared after ‘five-month’ camp.

TYSON FURY IS in peak condition despite a long wait for his world heavyweight title showdown against Wladimir Klitschko this Saturday, according to trainer and uncle Peter Fury.

Undefeated former Irish heavyweight champion Fury (24-0) takes on reigning heavyweight kingpin Klitschko at the 55,000-capacity Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf with the pay-per-view bout set to be broadcast live on Sky Box Office

The pair were originally set to meet last month but the bout was delayed due to a calf injury picked up by the 39-year-old champion.

That postponement means that Manchester-Irish Traveller Fury has been in training for nearly five months, but his coach and uncle Peter insists that he has tailored the 27-year-old’s preparation accordingly.

“We finished sparring a couple of weeks out. He’s had a very long, hard camp so he needs to recharge his batteries fully,” explained Peter Fury. “Now he’s 100 per cent, his weight is bang on, 18st 3lbs, so everything’s gone according to plan and we’re happy.

“When you think about it, this has been a five month camp so you’ve got to be very careful of getting burnt out. That’s why we stopped the sparring a couple of weeks out,” added the trainer.

Boxing - Wladimir Klitschko v Tyson Fury Press Conference - Hilton Syon Park Klitschko and Fury line up with their teams, including the latter's trainer and uncle, Peter Fury (right). PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

Klitschko, the dominant heavyweight of his era, is heading into his 19th title defence since 2006 in what will be his 68th fight with the Ukrainian’s record reading 64-3.

Fury, who has attracted much media attention for his bizarre antics in the build-up to the fight, had suggested that he was not surprised by Klitschko’s withdrawal from the original date, while others have speculated whether the injury is a damning sign of a wear and tear.

However, after arriving in Germany on Sunday night, Peter Fury insisted: “It’s taken four years to get here so we’re just glad to get to the airport and take off! It’s all systems go, but all the hard work and training is done.”

A dispute has emerged between both fighters’ camps surrounding the gloves that will be used in the bout with Fury threatening to pull out of the bout unless the issue is resolved. The challenger is upset with a prototype of the type of gloves Team Klitschko have provided and the row may not be settled until after Friday’s weigh-in at a rules meeting.

Meanwhile, undefeated Irish prospect Jono Carroll looks set to be added to the undercard of the Klitschko-Fury bill.

The Prizefighter tournament winner, a native of Finglas now based in Meath, was set to fight in London next month, but it is understood that the 23-year-old super-featherweight (8-0) may now fight on the live Sky Sports Box Office broadcast from Germany.

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