Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury faced off in LA recently, and the Bronze Bomber was savagely rejected as he tried to shake his rival’s hand.
Wilder and Fury left their respective camps to go toe-to-toe with each other ahead of their title fight in February.
The two first went head-to-head in December 2018, going the distance in an intense draw that saw Fury defy the odds and drag himself off the canvas despite seemingly being knocked out cold by Wilder.
And the pair are set to clash again on February 22 in Las Vegas with the WBC heavyweight title on the line.
In the build-up to the rematch, the heavyweights travelled to Fox Studios in Los Angeles, where they stared each other down intensely before Wilder tried to shake hands with his upcoming opponent.
But the Gypsy King didn’t acknowledge the attempt and instead continued to stare ahead.
The Bronze Bomber then tapped Fury’s hand before turning away.
See the funny moment below:
‘He’s Crazy’
Fury can be seen turning to the camera and exclaiming “He said ‘I lost’ but he walked away!”
The second press-conference before their title bout saw a lot of jibes sent in both directions.
Wilder addressed Fury’s recent claims that he’d stop the fight within two rounds.
“Their strategy? I don’t know how to take it,” Wilder said.
“Are they trying to throw me off my game?”
“I don’t know what he will do.”
“He’s crazy, man.”
“If he believes in it, I must take his word for it.”
“But it’s different when you step in the ring.”
“I’m the biggest puncher in boxing history.”
‘Pillows as Fists’
Wilder went on to question Fury’s skills and said it would play into his hands if the Gypsy King tried to end the fight early.
He continued: “I think Tyson has pillows as fists.”
“He has skill but you can’t have it all.”
“Of course, it would play into my game-plan because when you come forward, you give me more momentum to land a shot.”
‘I’m About Winning’
Fury had his own take on things, and said while the Bronze Bomber may pack a big punch, he’ll never be a match for Fury’s ‘iron will’.
“If I put my chin in front of him and said: ‘KO me please, Deontay’,” Fury mocked.
“I’m hardly going to do that.”
“I’ve got to back him up, put him on the back foot,”
“I stand by that wholeheartedly.”
“In the first fight I used my boxing skills and it didn’t work, I didn’t win.”
“I’m about winning.”
“We’re giant heavyweights and I’ve had 20 knockouts in 29 victories.”
“I’m very capable of knocking people out.”
“When you underestimate someone’s power, you come unstuck.”
“He is a much bigger one-punch knockout artist than me,”
“But nobody can match me with heart and determination.”
“I will put my iron will on Wilder.”
“I’m not afraid to go mano a mano with the biggest puncher in heavyweight boxing,”
‘Mano a Mano’
Though the two have been firing shots for a long time, the Gypsy King did surprisingly show some respect for his rival.
He highlighted Wilder’s ability to knock his opponent even when he’s on the back foot.
“It doesn’t matter if you win 11 and a half rounds against Wilder with 30 seconds left because he can KO anybody,” he said.
Will Fury stop the fight in two rounds, or will the Bronze Bomber take another knockout victory?
We’ll find out less than a month from now.
(Featured image source: Instagram/ WBN and Deontay Wilder)