Wilder, Fury clash in press conference before title fight

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World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury have to be separated Wednesday as tempers boiled over in an explosive final press conference before their highly anticipated title showdown in Los Angeles on December 1.

After trading verbal blows before reporters on Wednesday, the two unbeaten heavyweights engaged in an angry face-off that threatened to erupt into a full-scale brawl.

British challenger Fury, the trash-talking "Gypsy King", who has battled back from depression and drug abuse to land his shot against Wilder, opened by stating bluntly he expected to knock out the American champion (40-0, 39 knockouts).

"On Saturday night the whole world will know him as the person who Fury knocked out. This swagger is not genuine, it's fake - a snide and a fraud. I look at him and don't see a bad man, I see a pretender." Fury said.

Tyson Fury (R) points in the direction of Deontay Wilder (not pictured) during a press conference at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Los Angeles, U.S., November 28, 2018. /VCG Photo

"You say your people having been fighting for 200 years? My people have been fighting for 400 years," Wilder remarked of Fury, who is of Irish traveler descent.

Later 33-year-old Wilder was shouting in his opponent's face, before their teams separated them from the stage.

"We're fighting for the most gentlemanly, prized, heavyweight championship of the world. He instigated all that. I didn't get up there and start screaming and shouting in his face. "said Fury, 30, finished the press conference topless.

Wilder will seek to defend a perfect 40-fight record on Saturday, while Fury is also undefeated in 27 contests.

Source(s): AFP