London - Tyson Fury was livid with frustration when his world heavyweight title challenge to Wladimir Klitschko was postponed a month ago but he is now grateful for the delay, which has enabled him to achieve the highest fitness level of his career.
The huge but finely honed frame was there for all to see at his open training session before going head-to-head with Klitschko on Saturday night.
Fury said: ‘The extra time has been to my advantage. I was not well and in far worse shape before the date when we were supposed to fight.’
It has been no simple task bringing a 6ft 9in giant to the ring in peak condition.
That has taken not only five months of hard physical labour but also dedication to a complex diet and spartan lifestyle.
But the job has been done and Fury says: ‘If Wladimir wasn’t really injured but messing me about then it has backfired on him. Look at me now.’
The extra month has enabled him to shed almost seven stones in a more measured, less draining fashion.
Peter Fury, his uncle and trainer, says: ‘It’s quite a science getting the balance right with someone of Tyson’s size. The diet is complicated. What we’ve done is bring him down below his best fighting weight to begin with, then bring him up about half a stone to rebuild all his strength. It’s been hard work but he’s in truly fabulous condition. The best of his life.’
Although Fury was offered a two-week break after they were advised of the postponement, he opted to keep training. ‘He carried on running and gym work and even did a little sparring,’ says his uncle. ‘He was quite unwell around the weekend when the fight was originally scheduled so it worked out for the best. We didn’t want him to peak too early or burn himself out.
‘But he coped with what became a five-month training camp and has sparred around 600 rounds.
‘He is now carrying less than 10 per cent body fat.’
When he started training, Fury weighed just over 25 stone (158kg). Some two weeks ago he was down to 18st 3lb (115kg) and expects to weigh in around 19st (120kg). This has been achieved while eating six or seven times a day, including high-energy vitamin shakes.
Daily Mail