Tyson Fury kicked off the New Year in the same way he ended the previous one: noising up a fellow heavyweight giant.

Having gotten under the skin of Wladimir Klitschko before beating the Ukrainian to claim Wlad’s WBA Super, WBO and IBF titles in the ESPRIT arena in Dusseldorf in late November, the ‘Gypsy King’ turned up to watch WBC champion Deontay Wilder KO Poland’s Artur Szpilka in Brooklyn.

Wilder is 36-0 after a 35th knockout of his career in the ninth round. He laid out Szpilka with a brutal right hand – the Pole needed medical treatment seconds after the beating by the ‘Bronze Bomber’ – but Fury isn’t running scared of a man he recently described as a “basketball player”.

Jumping in the ring to confront the victorious Wilder, the Mancunian roared: “There’s only one Tyson Fury.”

“I don’t play this, said Wilder. “You should have been an actor. When we do step in the ring, this ain’t wrestling, this ain’t the WWE, baby.

“When you do step in this ring with me – if you do because this should’ve been done a long time ago – you can run around like you’re a preacher all that you want but when you step into that ring I promise you I will baptise you.

“Make the date Tyson. Make the date.

“We all know Fury is just a phony.”

The response from Fury was typically forthright.

“Any time! Any place! Anywhere!” said Fury. “Like I did Klitschko, I’ll beat you, ya bum, You’re a bum.”

Fury is due to confront Klitschko in a rematch this year, but there is talk of a meeting with Wilder in the UK or the US later this year. Assuming he is still champion by then.

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