PATTAYA: British boxer Tyson Fury insisted on Wednesday that “the best is yet to come” ahead of a charity fight in Thailand, a warm-up to his long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua.

“I don’t feel like the world’s seen the best Tyson Fury yet,” said the former two-time world heavyweight champion, who turns 38 next month.

Fury was speaking at an event in the Thai resort of Pattaya to promote his charity fight on Friday against Mariusz Wach, a 46-year-old Pole dubbed “The Viking”.

The fight in the 1,500-seat Max Muay Thai Stadium is widely viewed as a warm-up to the much-anticipated clash with fellow Briton Joshua expected later this year.

But Fury said he did not want to talk about the Joshua fight, instead focusing on his presence in Thailand and saying that it left him feeling “rejuvenated”.

“I’ve been over here since December — beautiful place, beautiful people, great training facilities,” he said.

“I feel at peace with everything, where before I had a lot of pressure on me… the rain wasn’t good, I think I thrive better in obviously warmer climates.”

Fury marked his return from a 16-month retirement with a dominant points win over Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov in April.

He was scheduled to fight in Dublin on August 1, but said the opportunity arose to fight in Thailand “for a good cause”.

Proceeds from Friday’s fight will go to a charity supporting underprivileged children in Pattaya.

The venue is smaller than those Fury is used to, and the fight won’t be broadcast live on television but will be recorded for his Netflix television series.

Fury said he had “earned the right” to do what he wanted.

“Whoever I want to fight, from any sport, I can make that fight happen.

Because I’m the Gypsy King, I do what I want,” he said.

He said his fights were “not about the money”.

“I’m boxing because I want to stay match fit and I enjoy doing it.”

Born into a family of Irish Traveller heritage in Wythenshawe in the Manchester suburbs, Fury turned pro in 2008.

He famously dethroned long-reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, and is known for his exceptional speed despite his towering size of 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 metres).

Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion, will fight Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

It will be his first return to the ring since being involved in a car crash in Nigeria in December that killed two of his close friends.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2026