Heavyweight Christian Hammer has promised to cause a huge upset and derail Tyson Fury from his dream world title fight against Wladimir Klitschko.
The hard-hitting challenger takes on Fury at London’s O2 arena on Saturday February 28th with the Manchester star risking his unbeaten record and his WBO mandatory spot to Klitschko. Fury and Hammer came face-to-face for the first time today at Fredericks restaurant in London ahead of their crucial showdown next month.
German based Romanian Hammer, who has 10 knockouts in 17, said:
“I’ve seen Tyson fight plenty of times before in the amateurs and also in the pros, he’s a very good boxer but at the end of the day nothing I’ve seen worries me at all.
“I feel that’s he’s made a big big mistake choosing to fight me, but full respect to him, he could have avoided me and chosen a much easier opponent and keep his record and titles intact and also his world title fight against Klitschko.
“But at the O2 arena on Saturday 28th February I must bring his dreams crashing down around him. Make no mistake I’m coming here to do one thing and one thing only, to beat Tyson Fury and earn my right to fight Klitschko.”
With the all the talk of Fury facing Klitschko in the summer and also a potential showdown with new WBC World Champion Deontay Wilder, Fury is not underestimating the threat Hammer poses to his future ambitions.
Fury said:
“I won’t be taking Hammer for granted, this is a very risky fight for me and the fights against Klitschko or Wilder won’t be happening if I don’t beat Hammer.
“He’s by far the most accomplished fighter I fought in my career. I’m very familiar with him from the amateurs and I’ve kept an eye on him in the pros and he’s had some good recent including Kevin Johnson.
“He’s a strong puncher and moves well on his feet for a big lad, he fancies his chances against me and remember in the heavyweights it only takes one punch to turn things upside down.
“But this is Tyson Fury we’re talking about and as long as I’ve got gloves and a fighting heart there’s no man that will have the beating of me. I will fight and fight, I’ll get up to win, but there’s no one who will keep me down, I’m a winner.
“Wilder did a good job at the weekend on Stiverne and he’s lit up the heavyweight division. Without a doubt Klitschko is the number one and the linear champion and naturally you want to beat the man who beat the man, so he’s my first choice.
“Then I’d love to meet Wilder who’s made some noises after his win about facing me which I’ll gladly accommodate, but let Wilder bask in his moment of glory for a while longer because that will soon come to an end.”
Promoter Frank Warren added:
“Inactivity is the worse thing for a boxer, the name of the game is to keep busy and Tyson can’t sit around waiting for Klitschko so he’s taking this very dangerous and risky fight against Hammer who’s the number three ranked in the world.
“Tyson has everything to lose and Hammer has everything to gain from this so Tyson knows what’s on the line and what he stands to lose, but you just can’t bet against a man like Tyson.
“The heavyweight division has certainly come alive again with Wilder’s win over Stiverne at the weekend and it’s definitely spiced things up and brought back some much needed excitement into boxing’s flagship weight class.
“The heavyweights have become fashionable again with Wilder and Fury in the top of the mix and whilst I don’t want to look beyond Hammer, the thought of Fury against Wilder, over here in the UK, would be the biggest heavyweight fight in the last ten years.”
