Tyson Fury says Deontay Wilder is still learning on the job, afraid to fight him

Heavyweight Tyson Fury appears to have dialed back his crazy, or perhaps had a moment of lucidity, when he sat down with Michelle Phelps to talk about WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. He was still his usual assertive self, but was much less "end of times" as he was practical about the here and now. In the interview, Fury says that even if he were to lose to Wladimir Klitschko, Deontay Wilder still wouldn't fight him because he's too afraid.

"He was offered a substantial amount of money to step in when David Haye pulled out a few years ago - and he didn't take the opportunity," Fury told Michelle Phelps of Behind The Gloves.

"They've been offered the fight 10 times, now he's signed with Al Haymon and I don't think the fight's going to happen at all."

Fury goes on to say that Haymon is a shrewd businessman and that he doesn't believe Haymon will risk the only American heavyweight champion in a long time, but rather build Wilder up by letting him knock over tomato cans. By Fury's estimation, Wilder hasn't faced any real competition thus far, stating that he believes Wilder has only had one real fight in his entire career (against Bermane Stiverne).

"His opposition, Wilder, not so good. He's fighting low-level bums really," stated Fury.

Tyson Fury also made some sensible points that Deontay Wilder is effectively learning on the job. Wilder getting a late start in boxing and having limited amateur experience sort of forced him to take on so many lesser opponents before eventually stepping up to fight Stiverne -- but only to see him step back down in competition after that. Fury doesn't necessarily ridicule Wilder for this though, stating he thinks it just good career management on Haymon's part.