Tyson Fury weighed in lighter than his opponent, Mariusz Wach, for the first time in 15 years as he prepares for their heavyweight fight in Thailand on Friday. The British boxer registered 18st 13lb (120kg), which is 26lb less than Wach’s 20st 11lb (132kg).
The fight, scheduled to take place in Pattaya, is expected to draw approximately 1,500 fans and will not have a television broadcaster. Fury, 37, will face the 46-year-old Wach in what marks only the fourth occasion in his professional career that he has weighed less than his opponent. His last such instance was during his initial fight against Derek Chisora in 2011. He was also lighter than John McDermott and Daniil Peretyatko in previous bouts.
Fury expressed his satisfaction with his weight, stating, “I’m Mr Slim now. I’m delighted to be here and there are fans here from all over the world.” He arrived at the weigh-in wearing a designer robe and a large cross chain, engaging in light-hearted interaction with Wach during their face-off before posing for photographs. His current weight is 3lb less than his last fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov in April.
Preparation for Future Bouts
This fight is considered a tune-up for Fury, who aims to stay active in the ring. “I want to keep busy. I’m not banking on any fight that may or may not happen,” Fury stated. He added, “This is the year I want Tyson Fury to stay busy. I may even have 10 fights this year.” His promoter, Frank Warren, echoed this sentiment, noting that Fury does not want to be out of the ring for extended periods.
The bout against Wach is seen as a low-risk opportunity for Fury to prepare for a potential future showdown with Anthony Joshua. Joshua is also scheduled for a warm-up fight against Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. A defeat for either Fury or Joshua in their respective warm-up matches could jeopardise the highly anticipated fight between them.
The decision to hold the fight in Thailand stems from Fury’s training base in the country. He aims to give back to the local community by hosting the fight at Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya and donating ticket profits to local charities. He is also set to receive the inaugural WBC Humanitarian title on fight night. Logistically, remaining in Thailand eliminates the need for extensive travel.
Opponent Choice and Broadcast Details
Mariusz Wach was chosen as Fury’s opponent due to his credibility and durability, offering a suitable test without posing an excessive risk to Fury’s future plans. Wach’s professional record stands at 39-13 (20 KOs) across 52 fights. His losses include bouts against Tyson Fury’s cousin Hughie Fury, Dillian Whyte, Frazer Clarke, and a points loss to Wladimir Klitschko in 2012. Wach has lost seven of his last 10 fights, including a knockout defeat by Moses Itauma two years ago.
The fight will not be broadcast live, a decision influenced by the desire to avoid jeopardising the potential future fight between Fury and Joshua. Promoters Eddie Hearn and Warren have indicated that a loss for either boxer in their warm-up fights would impact the planned mega-bout. While there will be no live broadcast revenue, footage from the Wach fight is expected to be featured in the third season of Fury’s Netflix series, At Home with the Furys, helping to offset a smaller purse for this particular event.
Fury is scheduled to fight at approximately 10pm local time (4pm UK) on Friday, unusually being the first fight on the card.
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Source: bbc.com
