Tyson Fury has defended his decision to fight Mariusz Wach in front of just 1,500 fans in Pattaya, Thailand, this Friday, arguing that modern sports stars overestimate their own importance by chasing bigger, more lucrative events. The 37-year-old former heavyweight world champion turned down the chance to earn considerably more money elsewhere to stage the bout, which was arranged with only three weeks' notice, insisting he is more at ease training and competing in Thailand's warmer climate. Victory would clear the way for his long-awaited showdown with fellow Briton Anthony Joshua, provided Joshua also wins his warm-up fight against Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia the following day.

Wach, a 46-year-old Pole who has lost seven of his last ten fights, is a clear underdog, but Fury insists he presents a tougher challenge than Joshua's opponent and has vowed to focus solely on his own bout rather than rivals such as Deontay Wilder or Oleksandr Usyk. The fight will not be televised live, instead featuring in the third series of the Netflix documentary "At Home with the Furys", with ticket proceeds going to a Thai charity supporting disadvantaged children and students with disabilities. Fury also took aim at the current heavyweight world champions—Agit Kabayel, Murat Gassiev and Daniel Dubois—claiming they were "gifted" their titles rather than earning them through significant fights, unlike his own record.