Tyson Fury beat Deontay Wilder at “50 per cent” physical fitness and afforded just three-and-a-half week of full training, according to his father John.
The Gypsy King reinforced his status as the world’s best heavyweight boxer last month when he took care of American Wilder, surviving two heavy knockdowns before stopping his opponent in the 11th round.
Fury was heralded for his incredible fight, with many labelling it an instant classic.
The Brit particularly was praised for his attacking style, moving forward and taking the fight to Wilder.
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Wilder, too, was praised for his improved showing where he knocked Fury to the floor and looked more competitive under trainer Malik Scott.
Yet, according to John Fury, his son was simply not fit and has since required surgery on his elbows.
“It wasn’t a boxing match was it. Tyson was very badly injured going into that fight,” he told BT Sport Boxing.
“He had to have chromosome injections into both elbows. He’s since had an operation, six hours all day in hospital having them sorted out.
“I think he had some bone spurs that he had to get removed, he was handicapped from the beginning. The boxing side of it went out the window because I knew he was going to be like that from early on.
“When I seen the look on his eye, I just knew he wanted to seek and destroy. That’s what he did and believe me, it was exciting for the paying public, probably one of the most exciting fights you’ll see.
“But boxing wise, he didn’t do nothing he trained on. They couldn’t have trained for that, could they?”
Fury’s chronic elbow pain also came off the back of a family scare, where his newborn daughter, Athena, was placed into the intensive care unit.
While she survived, the incident delayed Fury’s training camp.
“To be honest, I think he only had about three-and-a-half weeks to train for it,” Fury added. “When I was in hospital in Liverpool with him, he couldn’t have been any lower.
“To go from there four weeks later and do what he did, he’s moving mountains this man. Was he fit? No, not at all.
“I wasn’t going to say anything different, I was saying: “You’ve done this, you’ve done that, son.”
“I was trying to be positive. But in my mind I knew that truth that he was only 50 per cent of what he should be because he had too many problems. He had Covid in July when it was first meant to take place, then he had problems with his daughter.
“You can’t get your head straight from that within weeks – and that’s what he did. To perform like he did?
“I could see it was ring-rust, 20 months out the ring and he thought: “To hell with the boxing, it’s not going to work, let’s have it, let’s have a war.” It was a thrilling affair, but it shortens careers, doesn’t it?”
Fury is expected to next take to the ring against Dillian Whyte in the United Kingdom.
