Tyson Fury: Hope Vijender Singh can win a world title

Boxing star Tyson Fury felt that the ban on the world boxing body will stop amateur boxers from making the transition into professionals.

Tyson Fury is scheduled to face Deontay Wilder in the boxing ring in February in a rematch.

Celebrated British professional boxer Tyson Fury wants to see Indian icon Vijender Singh achieve bigger glory by winning a world title some day.

Fury, who is set to fight against Braun Strowman in a WWE fight in Saudi Arabia on October 31, wished Vijender, a former World and Olympic medallist, well in his professional career.

“It (India) is a great boxing country. It (boxing) is very big in India. You have a great boxer in Vijender Singh and I hope he can go on to win the world title for India,” said Fury, addressing an international media call.

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Asked whether he would like to make his debut in India, Fury said, “I would love to come to India and fight there. Hopefully, it will happen in the future.”

Fury – who won the unified and lineal heavyweight titles by defeating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 – said the turmoil in the amateur body, International Boxing Association (AIBA), might impact professional boxing as well.

“If there is no amateur boxing, there are no professionals. I don’t know many people who just turned professionals without being amateurs. It could have a big impact on the professional sport for sure. It could be taking away champions of the future.”

Fury, who was unbeaten in his 30 bouts over 11 years in professional boxing, said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspending AIBA from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was not great news for amateur boxing. “It is very important that amateur boxing continues so we can have professional champions of the future.”

Comparing boxing and WWE, Fury said, “It’s very, very different (from boxing). The game is different, the preparation is different…

“Physically and mentally they (boxing and WWE) are the same because you are preparing for a fight. Physically you have to be in great shape as a WWE fighter and mentally you need to have the mental aptitude to get up and go. It is the same in boxing – get up and go and fight with anybody at a given point in time.”

Thirty-one-year-old Fury, a WWE fan, was sure that his ankle injury would not affect his game. “I am recovering from the ankle injury. It is going to be fine by the time the fight comes up,” he said.

WWE Crown Jewel 2019 airs Live on SONY TEN 1, SONY TEN 1 HD, SONY TEN 3, SONY TEN 3 HD (HINDI) on 31 October at 9.30 pm IST.