Tyson Fury risks further criticism after threatening to slap Eddie Hearn as 'that's what real men do to b*****s'
Fury made the controversial remarks during a press conference to announce that the Manchester Arena will host his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko
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Your support makes all the difference.Tyson Fury has risked further criticism after taking aim at Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, by claiming he will “get slapped on the ear because that’s what real men do to b*****s; they slap them”.
WBA and WBO heavyweight world champion Fury made a string of controversial comments in the wake of his victory over Wladimir Klitschko in November which he later apologised for at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards ceremony in December, and despite promoter Frank Warren claiming Fury was not referring to women, the boxer once again finds himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Fury and Joshua have been tipped for a future fight after the 2012 Olympic gold medallist won the IBF heavyweight title last weekend by knocking Charles Martin out inside two rounds, with Fury the former IBF title holder until he was stripped a week after his victory over Klitschko.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the Manchester Arena will host his rematch with Klitschko on 9 July, Fury spoke about Joshua as well as Hearn, and he was less respectful about the managing director of Matchroom Sport as he was his fellow heavyweight champion.
“He has had a lot to say but he wouldn’t say anything around me,” Fury said when asked about Hearn’s comments in the past. “He’s a daddy’s boy and he’d get slapped on the ear because that’s what real men do to b*****s; they slap them.”
Fury earlier added: “The British public is thrilled by bums. You are brainwashed by a p***y like Eddie Hearn.”
Warren immediately jumped in to play down Fury’s outburst, saying: “Before you make a story from it, he [Fury] was on about other boxers, he was in no way referring to women.”
27-year-old Fury also called Klitschko a “German p***k” in the same press conference, and his father, John Fury, joined in with targeting Hearn by claiming he would dodge the fight with Fury in order to protect Joshua.
“I urge the public to make Joshua fight my son because Eddie Hearn will never take it,” said Fury Snr. “If you think some novice can take on my son, he’s in dream land.”
Despite the Fury camp clearly taking Hearn’s recent comments to heart, Fury was rather positive in his analysis of Joshua, although he used his praise of the Watford-born boxer to suggest that it will only earn him more money when he wins a future bout between the pair.
Nothing really, I just get more racial abuse and discrimination – success equals hatred and jealousy
“He’s got to be in the top 10,” said Fury. “I would probably rate him No1 actually – he’s certainly the No1 money-maker anyway. He’s a good fighter and he’s going to earn me a lot of money but just hold your horses and don’t bet your house on him winning against any top names.
“He will always beat the likes of Malik Scott, who is rumoured to be Joshua’s next opponent, and these European fighters but, if you make a mistake against the likes of Dr Steelhammer, Wladimir Klitschko, you’re on your back.”
Fury was asked how his life had changed since becoming heavyweight champion of the world, but while he said that he had continued in the same fashion as before his win over Klitschko, he revealed that he suffers “more racial abuse and discrimination” in regards to his Gypsy background.
“Nothing really, I just get more racial abuse and discrimination – success equals hatred and jealousy,” answered Fury.
“I’m making money so I don’t really care. You are either loved or hated, it all equals pound coins in the bank. And I’m happy to play the pantomime villain as long as I get a big pay cheque with plenty of zeroes on it – happy days.
“After all a plastic belt with a bit of metal on isn’t going to make a lot, is it?” he said with a wry smile. “I’ve already got 15 at home. I just leave them in the corner of an office at home. I haven’t even hung them up.”
In one last comical rant regarding Joshua, Fury revealed that his comfortable victory over Martin had cost him £37,000 after he lost a bet which needed Martin to retain the IBF title – something that looked nigh on impossible from the opening bell.
“I put a seven-strong accumulator on and they all won apart from Martin,” Fury said. “It was £1,000 pounds to win £37,000. But the way I see it I’ve lost a potential £37,000 but gained £5m. I hope Joshua fights another 20 times and knocks them all out – the more he can keep building, the more money I get when I fight him.”
Fury fights Klitschko in a rematch on 9 July at the Manchester Arena, with Joshua set to make his first defence of his IBF heavyweight title on the same night in London with Wembley Arena and Vicarage Road tipped to host the bout.
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