Tyson Fury to help his father John prepare for coronavirus charity fight with ex-bodybuilder Micky Theo

The heavyweight champion of the world will spar his father ahead of the charity fight

John Fury has revealed that he will spar with his son, heavyweight champion of the world Tyson, ahead of his charity fight against ex-bodybuilder Micky Theo.

Fury accepted a fight challenge from a British bodybuilder to raise money for the NHS in their battle with coronavirus, and vowed to “knock your false teeth through the back of your head” after upping the stakes to a “gypsy fight”.

In a video challenge issued, Theo said he saw John Fury’s claim that he was the fittest 54-year-old on the planet while calling out UFC president Dana White, and disagreed with his proclamation as he believes he is fitter than the former professional boxer.

But Fury will have some expert help ahead of the bout. When asked how he plans to prepare, he told iFL TV: “Purely boxing training. Plenty of running, plenty of sparring.

“I’ve got the best of sparring, Tyson’s going to be sparring me, [my other son] Shane is going to be sparring me.

“We were sparring – me, Tyson and Shane – before he went to Vegas.

“And do you know what he said to me? ‘I’m surprised how sharp you really are; you’re still good on your feet and you’ve still got a good engine’.”

Fury fought professionally 13 times between 1987 and 1995, claiming eight wins and a draw, and also fought in a number of bare-knuckle fights that involved large wagers