Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury trade shoves, expletives

Their promotion was civil. Maybe even respectful.

Until Wednesday, when undefeated heavyweight boxers Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury abandoned their mischievous, mannerly approach for a little pushing and shoving.

And a lot of language the Review-Journal can’t publish.

Wilder (42-0-1, 41 knockouts) and Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) concluded the public part of their promotion with a tense news conference at the MGM Grand Garden, where they traded insults and expletives before a nationally televised audience.

The two faced off for more than a minute before Fury walked deliberately into Wilder, who responded by shoving the Briton atop the makeshift stage inside the arena. Their bodyguards intervened, but the exchange set the tone for the remainder of the news conference to promote Saturday’s title fight at the MGM Grand Garden.

“When I found you, you were strung out on (cocaine). When I found you, you were like a big house, contemplating killing yourself,” Wilder said during his opening statement, eluding to Fury’s 31-month hiatus during which he used recreational drugs and battled depression. “Don’t you ever forget who brought you into big-time boxing. … I provided food on your table for your family to eat, and I’m doing it for the second time. So don’t you ever forget that.”

Fury retorted: “And that’s the man you wanted to take on? One who wanted to kill himself? I brought you to this level. Big-time boxing. … This is the home of the Gypsy King in Vegas. The entertainment capital of the world.”

Back and forth. For almost an hour.

Wilder’s trainer, Jay Deas, and Fury’s trainer, SugarHill Steward, joined the news conference toward its conclusion and helped simmer the tensions that apparently had been building throughout the promotion. The fighters did not face off at the end of the news conference at Top Rank chairman Bob Arum’s request.

They’ll settle the score Saturday instead.

“As you get closer to fight time, the niceties disappear. Their blood is boiling to get themselves ready for the fight,” said Arum, Fury’s co-promoter. “At this particular point, I don’t know for sure, but my experience is fighters in big fights can be nice to each other. And as the fight gets closer, the animosity comes out. Because even if they don’t really feel the animosity for the person, it’s the animosity for the opponent.”

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.