Wladimir Klitschko isn’t merely training for his fight with Tyson Fury.
The wise, benevolent heavyweight champ said this week he’s found the time and compassion to help Fury by diagnosing his mental illness, planning a course of treatment and guiding him toward a post-boxing career.
The 39-year-old said all those things and so much more in a relaxed, meandering occasionally serious and even poignant teleconference this week to promote his Oct. 22 fight with the big and big-talking man that is Fury.
“We see all these different sides of Tyson Fury. He says one thing and then later on he says a completely different thing.” said Klitschko (64-3, 53 KOs), who has earned a PhD in Sports Science from Kiev University. “There are a lot of psychological issues in Tyson Fury’s mind so I think he’s bipolar.”
There’s hope for Fury (24-0, 18 KOs), though, and help is on the way, the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titleholder insisted.
“I also believe that I can change him in a better way as a person,” he said in a conference call. “I’ve done a great job as a therapist for David Haye. Dave Haye became a better person after fighting with me. I’ve seen David after the fight, years later, and we had a chat and he’s definitely become a better person.”
We can anticipate what the 6-foot, 6-inch fighter called “reality therapy”.
“I can really change Tyson Fury and make him a better person,” said the man known as Dr. Steelhammer. “I don’t think he’s completely lost. I can do it as an expert therapist.”
Ever magnanimous and insightful, Klitschko praised Fury, 27, for his sense of humor and called the Irishman a clown, which he insisted was a compliment – because it’s not easy to be funny. Pointing out that he has friends who work in the circus industry, Klitschko insisted that he would help Fury get a job as a clown, with the world-famous Cirque du Soleil.
“I think he’s going to have a really amazing second career,” he said.
Klitschko (above, left) noted that Fury is three inches taller than he is and hinted at a plan of action to guide him toward retirement.
“You have a man that is taller than me so obviously his body is going to be right there,” he said, adding that he’s been aggressive with tall opponents. “The way he’s built is kind of interesting; he’s like a spider with his long legs and long arms.”
The father of a 10-month-old girl and fiancé of actress Hayden Panetierre acknowledged that the fight in Dusseldorf, Germany would take place almost exactly three years after his former trainer, Emanuel Steward, passed away.
“Pretty much every day in camp we talk about how Emanuel would have seen our work and what we would have liked to change,” Klitschko said, speaking more slowly and with a real sadness in his voice. “You know, with him working with other fighters and working on broadcasts with HBO, there would be times when he was away for a while. We have a feeling that Emanuel is on a trip for a broadcast and he’ll be back at some point.”
There’s a lot to miss.
“He was not the trainer; he was a teacher and a friend who shared a bunch of stories from his life and answered a bunch of questions I had,” Klitschko said. “I’m happy we worked together for such a long time.”
How much longer Klitschko will fight is a question that he’s heard for longer than the three years since Steward passed away and his answer hasn’t changed.
“I have always said that there are two major points: one, motivation, and two, most importantly, health. If one of those two things is missing, there will be no sense to continue. I feel healthy and motivated as I used to be, maybe even more because I have the experience that makes me go ahead.”
