Fury Says AJ Fight Feels Surreal After Decade Wait

Tyson Fury climbed over his assigned armchair and sat on a desk instead when he walked into the roundtable session ahead of his June fight with Anthony Joshua.

The WBC champion, who will face Joshua at Wembley Stadium after more than a decade of false starts, told reporters the matchup finally arriving felt unreal. "This has finally arrived, more than 10 years in the making," Fury said, per The Ring. "It's here and I'm excited."

Fury and Joshua Strike Upbeat Tone at Wales Press Conference

Joshua followed Fury into the media room 10 minutes later wearing dark sunglasses and chose to sit in a chair properly. The two-time unified champion requested a minute of silence before the main press conference began, then later shouted down a journalist's question in favour of letting fans in the upper balcony ask their own. At one point the heavyweights discussed arranging a post-fight beer together.

The collegial atmosphere marked a sharp departure from typical fight week theater. The Ring's Declan Taylor, who has covered hundreds of boxing press conferences, called it unlike any he had attended. Both fighters acknowledged they need each other for what will be the richest purse in British boxing history and appeared unwilling to manufacture animosity for the cameras.

Fury's brother Shane told the press pack to ask for blood and get straight to the point, but neither heavyweight obliged with fireworks. Fury said the years of frustration over failed negotiations were water under the bridge now. "It's not too late," he added. "It's the icing on the cake of two great careers."

The fight takes place in 10 weeks with no transatlantic travel required, just a trip across the Severn Bridge into Wales. Fury and Joshua have combined for nearly 80 professional bouts between them.

Source: ringmagazine.com