"If you can hit me, then you've got some speed and technique"
Tuesday 3 March 2020 12:37, UK
Tyson Fury used the elusiveness and speed of Jared Anderson to hone the punches that floored Deontay Wilder.
Ohio heavyweight prospect Anderson has won all three pro fights inside the first round and was recruited by Fury as a vital part of his preparation to become WBC champion.
So how was sparring with Fury?
Tyson Fury must have provided you with your most difficult ring-time?
Anderson told Sky Sports: Yes definitely. He is the most challenging sparring I've had. He made me think a lot, it was a chess match, tit for tat.
Were you recruited to replicate Wilder's style?
Anderson: No. I was definitely not brought in to directly imitate him. I'm only 6'4'' so my height doesn't match up. But I definitely bring a lot to the table - I will sharpen you up, make sure that you are aware of punches, make sure that you know when they are coming and know how to get out of the way.
Was your sparring valuable to Fury?
Anderson: If you can hit me, then you've got some speed and technique.
That's our biggest point. I'm shorter, hard to hit, a little faster. That was the point made after our first sparring session.
He knew that if he could hit me, he could definitely hit Wilder.
Describe your style…
Anderson: Elusive, quick, sharp. I am not the biggest or strongest but I'm always in front of you, throwing punches.
Did Fury's trainer Sugarhill Steward give you instructions of how to spar?
Anderson: Nobody knew specifically how the sparring partners fight. I just went in to work. He didn't tell me to do anything specific. My goal was to show him that I am a presence in the ring.
Did you succeed in that goal?
Anderson: For sure - at least, that's what I was told!
Some people didn't believe Fury's pre-fight claim that he would target a quick KO…
Anderson: Everything you saw in the ring, he had trained for and practiced for. People thought he was talking hype? He did what he had to do.
It was a risky strategy against someone who hits as hard as Wilder?
Anderson: Being in the ring alone is a risk so I respect his decision. He obviously saw something to make that decision. I respect him for seeing it, and going for it, because it's always a risk every time you step in the ring.
Describe Fury outside of the ring…
Anderson: A great human being. His charisma, his manners, he is a great guy. Level-headed, down to earth. He is a really good dude.
Did Fury give you advice?
Anderson: It was a back and forth thing. He would give me tips. I told him: 'This is why I did this…'
We talked a lot. I gave him tips on how to hit me! He's a world champion who knows how to hit people but, if he ever fights someone as short as me, I gave him tips. In the past he has fought a lot of bigger guys but we talked about fighting guys my size.
Was Fury's trainer Steward helpful for you?
Anderson: It didn't feel like home but it was the closest thing to it. We did extra sessions with Sugarhill, we always made time. He pulled us to the side and gave us tips on what to work on. He wanted to improve all of us. It was a great experience that I would love to have again.
Would Fury use the same tactics that he utilised to destroy Wilder? The mastermind of that fight, his new trainer Sugarhill Steward, exclusively told Sky Sports how they might prepare to face AJ...
Would Fury use the same game-plan to face Joshua as he did to defeat Deontay Wilder?
Steward told Sky Sports: Probably so. Why do anything different? This is what I believe in wholeheartedly, the Kronk style. So many guys have won with that style. It is a proven method over decades and thousands of successful fights, it isn't just something that has been made up.
We will find out when that fight is made.
Nobody has to believe us. It isn't about talking, it's about actions.
Joshua is far bigger and heavier than Wilder. Would Fury need to use more than just size?
Steward: Definitely. Tyson is intelligent. Now learning something different, he knows what to do.
Describe Joshua as a fighter…
Steward: He is a big, strong, intelligent, talented fighter. Very co-ordinated and strong with great will and determination. He can punch with both hands.
Joshua is one of the other big superstars of boxing but, the only way to truly tell, is for those two guys to fight.
