Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte were expected to be at each other’s throats but acted as peacemakers

All quiet on the Wembley front. Can you believe?

Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte acting as peacemakers, restraining the rowdier members of their teams before the ritual pushing and shoving could break out.

‘Back up,’ barked Fury to his volatile father John. ‘Chill,’ Whyte told his voluble surrogate-brother Dean.

Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte acted as peacemakers, restraining the rowdier members of their teams

Fury had to calm down his volatile father John, while Whyte told his surrogate-brother Dean similar

Good as gold, they were. To the amazed disappointment of the Transatlantic media massed in a conference hall more usually addressed by England football managers.

Not so much as a flicker of the hell-raising showmanship, the provocative banter, the mind games with which The Gypsy King usually subjugates his opponents.

The mischief which we wondered if the Body Snatcher might have been shying away from for several no-show weeks.

When Whyte belatedly emerged from his Portugal bolt hole to jump on the last spin of the promotional caravan, Fury greeted him like a long lost brother.

They were as good as gold to the amazed disappointment of the Transatlantic media

‘It’s good to see him again,’ said Fury. ‘Been 15 years. We were good friends then. We sparred together, drank together, slept together!

‘He was helping me for a big fight so I treated him like a member of the family.’

Three days before they collide in this fabled stadium on Saturday night before a UK record 94,000 crowd for boxing, they told each other: ‘Nothing but respect, pal.’

There were a few profanities from Whyte, redolent of ‘my very tough upbringing and journey to this moment.’

But none were directed at the WBC world heavyweight champion he is hoping to dethrone. Fury said: ‘There was no need for the old havoc. All those seats are sold. The pay/per-view TV sales are brilliant.

‘We’re being paid a lot money to box before a huge crowd. Why fight for nothing in front of the cameras? We are professional fighting men who will be trying to knock the heads off each other’s shoulders in the ring. That’s all.

When Whyte belatedly emerged for the conference, Fury greeted him like a long lost brother

‘We are setting records. Not bad, eh, for two good old boys. Will he be watching, old Golden B******s?’

A cutting reference that to Anthony Joshua who is presently without titles and, by the way, is not expected to be at ringside.

‘Dillian’s a good fighter, said Fury. ‘Solid, strong, lots of power. He is to be taken seriously. I didn’t want to involve him in any nonsense. It was up to me to be the diplomat on the stage there.

‘We are saving all that energy for the fight. This will be a tough fight. The odds of six or seven to one against Dillian are a joke. We will both lay it all down in the ring.’

Whyte said: ‘As usual I will give my everything. Then once it’s over – win, lose or draw – I will slip away out of sight into the London night like I always do. ‘

In its reverse, perverse way, this was as big a sensation as Fury’s raging Batman stunt with which he unnerved Wladimir Klitschko before ending one of the longest world championship reigns in heavyweight boxing history.

Whyte’s few profanities were not directed at the WBC champion he hopes to dethrone

That’s part of this showman’s magic. The unexpected.

He kept up the courtesies by adding: ‘We’ve both improved a lot since that sparring in one of my gypsy camps. ‘

Encouraged by new trainer SugarHill Steward, Fury has added truly concussive punching power to remarkable dexterity for a 6ft 9in giant.

Whyte describes his own progress as a late starter in boxing: ‘I’ve learned how to adapt and adjust to whatever I come across in the ring. Yeah, guess I’ve matured.’

Surprise, surprise. Two full grown men who were expected to be at each other’s throats were the most adult people present.

Fury v Whyte will be televised live on BT Sport Box Office on Saturday night

Fury has added truly concussive punching power to remarkable dexterity for a 6ft 9in giant