The time for talking is almost over as Tyson Fury gets ready to take on Deontay Wilder for the third time this weekend.
The Gypsy King will be looking to defend his WBC belt in Las Vegas, having claimed it from the Bronze Bomber following his dominant win last year.
Plenty of words have been exchanged since then in the build-up to the trilogy fight, and Fury has come out with some typically understated lines.
Here’s a selection of his best quotes heading into this weekend’s big fight…
On Wilder’s obsession…
“It just shows you that I’m living in Wilder’s mind rent free the whole time, two years. Every time he looks in the mirror, he sees Tyson Fury. Every time he goes to bed before he closes his eyes at night, he sees the Gypsy King. And everything he wakes up and thinks about in the morning, he thinks about Tyson Fury. It must be crazy to be obsessed with a man like me.”
On his preparations…
“Can’t tell with the Gypsy King. I’m magic, I’m like Houdini.”
On wanting a challenge from Wilder…
“I’m really hoping he’s improved because I’m here for a fight and I want a challenge. I didn’t come all over America and be undefeated for 13 years not to get a challenge.
“I hope he’s 50/60 per cent better than he was the year before because I know I’ve gotten better. I don’t need to get better, because there’s an old saying if it’s not broken don’t fix it.”
On his, er, attributes…
“Wilder’s the biggest puncher in the history of our sport, but I’ve got the biggest balls in the history of our sport, as I’ve proved many, many times.”
On his fight plan…
"I'm going to run him over as if I'm an 18-wheeler and he's a human being. I guarantee you he does not go past where he went before," Fury said. "Before, I only had five or six weeks of practicing what I'm going to do to him. This time, I had 18 months of practicing what I'm gonna do to him.
"So, I anticipate it's gonna be like an 18-wheeler running over somebody. That's what you're gonna see."
On his determination…
“You’ve got to have guts to succeed in boxing. Sheer guts. There will be moments when it’s not about how much you get hit but how much you can take. I’ve taken a lot in my life. That’s why I’ve trained for this one like Rocky in the movie.”
On Wilder’s threat…
“I never take anyone for granted. Some people are writing Deontay off because I smashed him in seven rounds last time. Not me. He is still my most dangerous opponent. There are some good boxers but with Wilder’s power I know I’m messing with an atomic bomb.”
On what he’s expecting…
“They don't really want to fight the lineal heavyweight champion. They know how it ends. The world knows how it will end: with Wilder on his a*** again.”
On his approach…
“I’m going to go all guns blazing, full out attack, all infantry, straight out the door from round one until I finish this. It’s either going to be me, or Wilder.”
On who is the biggest puncher…
“He was the biggest puncher in history and then I knocked him out, so that makes me the biggest puncher.
“I’m the biggest puncher, I’m the toughest puncher.”
