Thommy Fury did not have any “private and private matter” which prevented him from attending the press conference on Wednesday with Jake Paul — he simply had other things.
The 23-year-old boxer was criticized by Paul, who called him “unprofessional” and a “flake” for failing to fly to Saudi Arabia for a pre-fight press conference ahead of their fight scheduled on Feb. 26. Speaking to MMA Fighting on Thursday, Fury scoffed at Paul’s insults while revealing the real reason behind his absence.
” I can get that out in two seconds,” Fury stated. “Basically, Jake Paul signed up into the world of professional boxing and I am a professional athlete, a professional boxer. It’s what I have always been, and any professional boxer will tell you that — nobody breaks camp.
“Now why the press conference couldn’t wait until a week later on fight week is beyond me. Most big fights, they schedule press conferences on fight week. I don’t know what is going on there.”
It was curious timing for a pre-fight press conference with the bout just over two weeks away but Paul didn’t skip a beat when he got the chance to take shots at Fury for not making an appearance.
Fury doesn’t care about Paul’s opinion about him, but if asked about his professional reputation, Fury quickly reminds Paul that he would rather spend his time in the gym, than on stage.
” I don’t know whether he is trying to play mind-games or not, but it’s clear that this isn’t how it works,” Fury stated. “One man’s flying all over the globe, trying to get in the glitz and glamour, press conferences, whatever else, and one man’s in the gym training to annihilate this man. The proof is always in the pudding, I believe. It is easy to see the pro athlete.
” I’m not interested to attend press conferences. I’m interested in completing my camp, which has been the best camp of my career and I’m ready to KO this man and get him out of the sport.”
If there were a personal issue that could have impeded Fury’s camp it would be the birth in January of Fury’s daughter with his girlfriend Molly-Mae Hague.
While that would have been a completely understandable distraction or perhaps even a reason to delay the fight, Fury says that option never even entered his mind.
“Listen at the end of the day, I’m blessed to have a Mrs. like I’ve got,” Fury said. “She’s unbelievable. She’s the best thing in the world and she’s my support system. She is everything. I’m in a position where she’s took to motherhood absolutely amazing. She’s the best mother I’ve ever seen in my life. She can do anything, and I just have to train.
“At the end of the day, sacrifices have been made. These sacrifices were huge for the fight. I don’t need to say anything more than that. Big, big sacrifices. At the end of the day, that’s what this is about. These sacrifices are necessary and have been paid for in this camp .”
After spending nearly two decades engaged in a battle of words with Paul via public appearances and interviews, Fury now wants to end this rivalry so he can continue his boxing career.
Two previous attempts to book the fight fell apart but Fury promises he’ll be front and center in the middle of the ring come Feb. 26 to settle the score with Paul once and for all.
“Things got in my way the last two times,” Fury stated. “Things well out of my control. The first fight was a disaster. A broken rib, and all the other problems. The second fight, denied entry into the U.S. Third fight, here we are. Three times is a charm and we’re seeing that.
“We’re two weeks out. I’m ripped, I’m ready, I’m fit, I’m strong and I’ve got more in the tank than what it takes to beat Jake Paul. Don’t worry about that.”
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/9/23593325/tommy-fury-explains-why-he-didnt-appear-press-conference-jake-paul-promises-im-ready-to-ko-this-man?rand=96749
