Tyson Fury piling on muscle for Deontay Wilder clash and has ‘fear factor’ for huge trilogy fight

George Flood4 October 2021

Tyson Fury has been packing on the muscle for his trilogy showdown with Deontay Wilder, while trainer SugarHill Steward insists the WBC heavyweight champion has a healthy “fear factor” ahead of the high-profile title clash.

Fury had looked set for a pair of lucrative all-British unification bouts against Anthony Joshua next, only for an arbitration to rule back in May that he would have to face familiar foe Wilder for a third time instead.

The pair last met in February 2020, when the self-proclaimed ‘Gypsy King’ produced a stunning and dominant display in Las Vegas to drop his opponent twice and then force a seventh-round stoppage to end American Wilder’s five-year reign as WBC champion.

That contest was a rematch of their initial encounter in December 2018, when Fury somehow bounced back from two heavy knockdowns to claim a thrilling draw in Los Angeles.

Fury stunned even his most ardent fans in the second bout, producing the sort of destructive, aggressive punching display that was a huge deviation from his usual successful tactics, leaving Wilder helpless against an impressive onslaught.

And legendary trainer Steward says his man will be even more powerful for fight number three, having weighed in at 273 pounds for the second bout - the third-heaviest weight of his career so far.

“It’s not going to be 300 pounds, it’s probably going to be like 290 or something but not 300 exactly. Heavier than last time by 20 pounds or so, why not? The bigger the better, the heavier the stronger,” Steward told Vegas Insider.

“He’s training with that weight, he’s built up. It’s not like he’s just putting on fat, it’s building up muscles. The bigger the better, the heavier the stronger.”

Steward also insisted that the existence of a “fear factor” before such a big fight was not a negative but in fact an essential tool to keep Fury on top form.

"There’s always that fear factor, you’ve got to have that,” he added. “That’s what keeps you sharp. You have got to have that. That’s not to say you believe it always or you’re afraid of anyone, but to keep you sharp it's a really important thing."

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Wilder faced no shortage of criticism after the second Fury fight, with questions again raised over his overall skill-set and lack of a plan b when he’s unable to unleash that devastating one-punch knockout power.

But despite the one-sided nature of that last contest, Steward insists they are preparing for a much improved ‘Bronze Bomber’.

"I have to consider everything. We’re preparing for the best Deontay Wilder that he can be. Let’s just say he’s improved so much,” he said. “You can’t go in there and think anything less.

“We’re preparing for him to come in at the highest peak of his abilities and that's how we’re training and preparing - for the best Deontay Wilder."

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