Frozen Out Fury Plotting Assault On Heavyweight Division

By Stephen Lynch

Tyson Fury is not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. After a frustrating 2013 following his KO win over Steve Cunningham in Madison Square Garden, Fury finally returns to action in two weeks against unheralded Gonzalo Basile at Stratford’s Copper Box Arena. Should he be victorious then and in a planned April outing, the switch-hitter is slated to rematch a resurgent Dereck Chisora in June. A Dereck Chisora fighting awkward “Kingpin” Kevin Johnson and on a run of 4 KO victories since being stopped by David Haye and gamely taking Vitali Klitschko the distance in Munich. A Dereck Chisora, the European heavyweight champion at that, who has a recent TKO victory over Deontay Wilder’s next opponent and fellow American Malik Scott.

In a weight class that’s been notoriously shorn of excitement and depth since Lennox Lewis hung up the gloves, it’s only recently that the division is slowly starting to sparkle again as Fury and fellow contenders prepare for the post-Klitschko era. Most are taking tentative steps, making no unnecessary risks or leaps of faith in a division where a loss would be a major setback – dropping the loser far down a list of queuing challengers for Vitali’s relinquished WBC trinket, and Wladimir’s soon-to-be vacant belts.

Following Wlad’s absurdly one-sided wrestling match with fellow Olympic gold medallist Alexander Povetkin and after his older brother’s abdication of the WBC belt, attention is focussing on the Bermane Stiverne-Chris Arreola-Deontay Wilder triumvirate this year that will decide who inherits the Ukrainian opposition leader’s championship. Given Wladimir’s public desire to unify, whoever progresses is likely to defend against Dr Steelhammer should he dispatch of Australian mandatory Alex Leapai in April.

And here is where the heavyweight ridiculousness starts to unfold – Tyson Fury got a shutout win over the guy (Kevin Johnson) who knocked out the guy (Leapai) who is now challenging the champ. What’s more, Tyson Fury knocked out the guy (Cunningham) who beat the guy (Tomasz Adamek) who beat the guy (Arreola) who’s now challenging for the vacant WBC belt, against the same guy he lost to last April. In other words, should Arreola avenge against “B. WARE” – Fury will have beat the man who beat the man who beat the world champion.

To add insult to injury, Wilder has crept above Fury in the division’s rankings and is likely to land a title shot before his Manchester-born rival – despite well-founded suspicions that none of the Bronze Bomber’s 30 opponents have been legitimate challengers, exampled by his most recent win coming against someone (Nicolai Firtha) Fury himself knocked out over two years ago. Indeed neither of Golden Boy’s and the UK’s Sky Box Office teams seemed overly eager to schedule a blockbuster fight between the two unbeatens.

This brings us to one of the sources of Fury’s recent inactivity and unwarranted criticism, one David Haye. The rigmarole over Haye’s injuries has actually gained his fellow Brit some positive publicity and fans – also due in no small part to the ring progress of his talented cousin Hughie and well-respected, sage trainer Peter Fury. Team Fury have conducted themselves commendably through a very trying period – while prominent pundits such as ESPN’s Dan Rafael and Sky Sports’ Adam Smith have sneered and looked down their noses at Tyson, barely able to disguise their disdain for someone who remains a livewire rival to the more media and establishment-friendly Wilder, and Haye - should he decide to come out of pseudo-retirement/inactivity again.

The 6ft 9 inch giant is often lazily caricatured by casual fans as a cocky, big-mouthed protected fighter ducking real competition, who will be exposed when he steps up in class. Such a perspective ignores most of Fury’s recent moves; signing twice to fight Haye after initially pursuing Wladimir’s new IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev. Let’s not forget also that Fury has also tried to make fights with then-unbeaten Denis Boystov (later KO’d by Leapai) as well as Ruslan Chagaev, Adamek and Povetkin.

If “2Fast Fury” is trying to dance his way past meaningful opponents and avoid risky fights, then he’s doing a pretty poor job of it thus far – and if Fury is ducking and padding out his record, then I’d be curious as to how one would describe what the likes of Wilder and Gennady Golovkin have been doing recently? Indeed should Mayweather grant Amir Khan a shot this coming May, I’m sure he’d be the first to admit his British opponent is hardly coming off a dozen knockout victories nor impressive consecutive wins at welterweight.

Looking down the BoxRec and Ring Magazine ratings – the Mick Hennessy-promoted fighter ranked at #4 and #5 respectively – there are very few names that jump out at you as viable opponents for Fury in the year ahead. Setting aside aforementioned names who the 25 year old has already chased or are in mandatory positions and who are you left with? Tony Thompson? Odlanier Solis? Robert Helenius? Deontay Wilder and the winner of undefeated contenders Mike Perez-Bryant Jennings aside, few options are left open in 2014 to the British-Irish fighter outside of a second domestic dust-up with “Delboy” Chisora as a final eliminator to become mandatory to Klitschko’s WBO strap.

Finally on the dilettante opinion that Fury is a soft touch and easy fight for any capable heavyweight, there seems to be an absence of folks rushing to fight him in what should be a low-risk, high-reward contest if he’s as vulnerable and dodgy as his detractors make out. Sanctioning organisation politics aside, surely Tyson is at least as credible or dangerous as the likes of Leapai, Francesco Pianeta and Mariusz Wach? What about the late legendary trainer Emmanuel Steward’s view that young Tyson had the ability to become the next superstar and dominant heavyweight figure in the same mould as Lewis and Klitschko in ruling the roost in boxing’s glamour division. Speaking in 2011, Steward said: “The way that he's progressing now I believe he can be maybe the complete package for the heavyweight division because of his talent, he's good looking guy and very colourful personality, I think he can be a tremendous shot in the arm for the heavyweight division in the future."

All you can do in the game is beat whoever is put in front of you and to call out the lions and the bears in your area code. On both counts Tyson Fury is doing an exemplary job and will continue in this vein in 2014. To date the equally vocal and opinionated Wilder’s and the Haye’s of the world have had plenty to say, but crucially have failed to step forward to try and derail Fury’s exciting heavyweight campaign in the only place it counts – the ring.

http://v2journal.com/16/post/2014/02/frozen-out-tyson-fury-plots-assault-on-heavyweight-division.html

If Fury was desperate for a shot at Wlad he would not have bailed out of the final eliminator Pulev, instead he went after the bigger money fight with Haye. Can't blame him for that but he knew going in how unreliable Haye is.

Think Hampo is betting on Fury being david lee and hoping to have him on regular podcasts..

Who needs a PR man when he has 606...

Why does such a talentless boxer like Fury get so much attention, it's nonstop, he's not frozen out he just won't fight anyone with a pulse.

Why am I Truss? This isn't my work, it is one of our new writers.

Not fair to say he wouldn't fight anyone with a pulse either HH, signed up to fight Haye, twice, he wasn't to know he'd pull out of such a big pay day.

He's a Tyson Fury fan boy/apologist.........It's a press release !!....

Thought it was a debating shop...........

Easy to sign to fight someone when there's £5mil on the table, without that incentive he's shown no interest to fight Pulev or anybody else for that matter.

People moan about Wlad........but all the challengers are waiting him out....

Wilder, Fury, Haye, Price etc..........Are like little fishes waiting for the shark to leave the carcass so they can feed........

Pathetic...........

Lets hope Fury can do it. I like the guy and he deserves some success after being pessed around by Haye. Plus I love a character. Boxing fans from the Isles should get behind him

Haye would take a fight with either Klitschko IMO. He'd have no problem short changing the public again with a yellow bellied performance.


Fury is a lot of things but chicken isn't one of them.

Strongback wrote:Haye would take a fight with either Klitschko IMO.  He'd have no problem short changing the public again with a yellow bellied performance.


Fury is a lot of things but chicken isn't one of them.

Well that's Haye insulted..........Watch out Eddie....and floyd !!

He would have fought Price and Pulev if he wasn't a ducker but ultimately he fought Rogan, Johnson and Cunnigham.

Life is a b**ch.......hey ??

Well he passed up fighting Pulev for a fight with Haye, Hammersmith. Surely nobody thinks Pulev was riskier and a tougher assignment, regardless of purse size?

His approach to the Price fight was poor, granted, but people do seem to forget that, relevant to where they were in their careers at the time, the Chisora fight was a risk for both men. I believe Chisora was a marginal favourite, in fact. Yes, Chisora turned up in dreadful shape, but Fury wasn't to know that in advance. Neither team Quigg nor team Frampton seemed in a rush to take a similar risk when they were at British / Commonwealth level a couple of years back, for instance.

Fact is, while Fury seemed happy to perhaps swerve the Price fight, he signed to fight an unbeaten Chisora (who should have been European champion two fights later and who most felt would beat him) and the second best Heavyweight out there in Haye. Saying that he doesn't have any interest in facing risky or worthwhile opponents doesn't really tally with that.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Strongback wrote:Haye would take a fight with either Klitschko IMO.  He'd have no problem short changing the public again with a yellow bellied performance.


Fury is a lot of things but chicken isn't one of them.

Well that's Haye insulted..........Watch out Eddie....and floyd !!

Watch out Louis, Khan ( especially if the Floyd fight doesn't come off) and Lennox.

88Chris05 wrote:Well he passed up fighting Pulev for a fight with Haye, Hammersmith. Surely nobody thinks Pulev was riskier and a tougher assignment, regardless of purse size?

His approach to the Price fight was poor, granted, but people do seem to forget that, relevant to where they were in their careers at the time, the Chisora fight was a risk for both men. I believe Chisora was a marginal favourite, in fact. Yes, Chisora turned up in dreadful shape, but Fury wasn't to know that in advance. Neither team Quigg nor team Frampton seemed in a rush to take a similar risk when they were at British / Commonwealth level a couple of years back, for instance.

Fact is, while Fury seemed happy to perhaps swerve the Price fight, he signed to fight an unbeaten Chisora (who should have been European champion two fights later and who most felt would beat him) and the second best Heavyweight out there in Haye. Saying that he doesn't have any interest in facing risky or worthwhile opponents doesn't really tally with that.

From my point of view Chris he wants to go the easiest route to a world title or take a big money fight which he'll lose in the meantime, if he was serious about facing Wlad he wouldn't be facing an unknown argentine next. Since the Chisora fight his career has stalled not entirely his fault with the Haye debacle but facing Rogan and Cunningham sums up his recent opposition really.

I agree Fury is as ready as he'll ever be........

Treading water.......Let's hope Wlad sticks around for sometime yet..........

He'll have to pee eventually or Joshua will be ready... and he would kill Fury now..Let alone in two years.

Appreciate that his upcoming opponent is hardly anything to get excited about (and that's an understatement) but in fairness, having been out of the ring for ten months, he just needs a fight - any fight. He's scheduled to be fighting again in April and then of course in June (supposedly Chisora II) so I think in order to get him back on track they just needed any kind of opponent for the time being.

With the fall out from the Haye situation, and also the changes in his promotional future (Warren has only just let him and Mick hop on board), his first opponent in the new year was never going to be anything else than just filler material.

After being stung by Haye I just think we should at least give Fury a few fights to redirect his career path before we start writing him off (again). If it's status quo this time in 2015, then fair enough, he can have both barrels as far as I'm concerned.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:I agree Fury is as ready as he'll ever be........

Treading water.......Let's hope Wlad sticks around for sometime yet..........

He'll have to pee eventually or Joshua will be ready... and he would kill Fury now..Let alone in two years.

I'm not going to run Joshua down but he isn't British or Euro level yet. He's on the upward phase of the learning curve. Still it's not an insult to say he's pretty stiff and muscle bound. As close to another Bruno as I've seen, if he has a career as good as Frank's he'll be happy.

He is that level now........Because he isn't going to learn of anyone before he arrives at it...

Like Lomo he's ready now..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:He is that level now........Because he isn't going to learn of anyone before he arrives at it...

Like Lomo he's ready now..

Lomo could lose to Solido and he won't look too clever then.

Lomo some argue is also a Top 3 amateur of all time. Joshua didn't show that level of quality as an amateur.

I agree Joshua should be pushed on. Stick him in with Sexton or McDerrmot before the end of the year. He's not ready for Price, Fury or Chis in my view.

At least he's fighting on an ok card instead of those 1800's style broadcasts that C5 do

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:He's a Tyson Fury fan boy/apologist.........It's a press release !!....

Thought it was a debating shop...........

No, no it's not. As I said, it's been written by one of our new writers. If it's a press release we don't put someones name at the top.

Fury has not been frozen out, hes just been led up on a merry song and dance by David Haye.

Fair play to Stephen for putting the effort in to the article, but what a Fury love-in it is.

hampo171 wrote:Why am I Truss? This isn't my work, it is one of our new writers.

Needed to be edited. The start is really tough reading as it makes no sense.

Too many people quick to jump on people's work on this site without actually offering anything themselves. It may have needed editing but given everyone who runs & moderates the site, journal etc etc also have full time jobs it can't always be done.

If everyone was as quick to offer an hour of their free time a week to helping do stuff for the site as they were to come spout off about the layout of an article or such then perhaps things would read a little better....or indeed maybe they would find there own articles being ridiculed or touted as having their own agendas/love in's!

Not jumping on his 'work'. Have tried writing something before and been surprised that, despite (I think) being a reasonably smart and educated cookie, how poor the quality of my writing was when trying to pull off a journalistic piece.

It's a skill, as can be seen by your work, O, as someone with actual experience in the field.

But that doesn't mean that in not wanting to critique the quality of the prose one must also refrain from criticising its content.

owen10ozzy wrote:Too many people quick to jump on people's work on this site without actually offering anything themselves. It may have needed editing but given everyone who runs & moderates the site, journal etc etc also have full time jobs it can't always be done.

If everyone was as quick to offer an hour of their free time a week to helping do stuff for the site as they were to come spout off about the layout of an article or such then perhaps things would read a little better....or indeed maybe they would find there own articles being ridiculed or touted as having their own agendas/love in's!

Bloody hell, who piddled on your chips?

Haha! To be honest DAVE667, a fair few people in recent weeks! Just gets a little tiresome coming on and seeing people whine & moan and jump on flaws of posts/articles etc etc without stepping back and thinking of the work people are putting in on this site to keep it going.

I'm of the opinion that it's possible to just discuss the content of the article itself without critiquing the layout, grammar, structure etc of it. Fair enough if people wish to provide feedback but it can be done with a simple PM to myself, Paul or indeed the person who wrote it....doesn't need to be in public.

One of those weeks im afraid where I can't be bothered to single out people; easier to direct it to the general masses. That doesn't mean I'm pointing fingers out everyone...just at those who will read it and know it's them I'm getting narked at.

Fair enough you miserable git!

owen10ozzy wrote:Haha! To be honest DAVE667, a fair few people in recent weeks! Just gets a little tiresome coming on and seeing people whine & moan and jump on flaws of posts/articles etc etc without stepping back and thinking of the work people are putting in on this site to keep it going.

I'm of the opinion that it's possible to just discuss the content of the article itself without critiquing the layout, grammar, structure etc of it. Fair enough if people wish to provide feedback but it can be done with a simple PM to myself, Paul or indeed the person who wrote it....doesn't need to be in public.

One of those weeks im afraid where I can't be bothered to single out people; easier to direct it to the general masses. That doesn't mean I'm pointing fingers out everyone...just at those who will read it and know it's them I'm getting narked at.

Tbh, I think you're reading way too much into a post by michaels.

Should know by now not to take him seriously.......

haha. this is the worst boxing article i have read in a little while.

pursued boystov, povetkin, chagaev and adamek???? according to who. funny how the brave would be challenger manages to get into positions where he fights guys like haye and pulev, but has so far ended up facing nobody above european standard. how valiant of him.

Cunningham and Johnson are both above European standard.

In all fairness Lance not once ounce of blame for him not fighting Haye can be placed at Fury's door.

However he did pass up a gilt edged chance to secure a shot at Wlad but chose instead to turn down a fight with Pulev and then come out with turgid drivel about how he was cleaning up the HW division starting with Haye and then the K's.

Now, call me Mr Cynical but I'd have been more impressed with him (let's face it I couldn't be any less impressed) had he taken the Pulev fight, beaten him and then knocked seven bells out of Wlad (like he seems to believe he's capable of doing)

He went after the more lucrative option Dave, as a Haye fan would have thought you'd be the last person this would need explaining to.

But I'm forever being told that Haye is rubbish, that Fury isn't and Fury wants to clean up the HW division and rid us of the b!tchko sisters etc etc etc etc so, piddling about with a no-hoper like Haye doesn't strike me as being what an all-action go getter like Fury is all about.

Surely you can understand my confusion

TopHat24/7 wrote:Cunningham and Johnson are both above European standard.

Sorry TH i can make a case for Cunningham even if he is really only a cruiserweight, but Johnson was never much good in the first place and he hasn't thrown a meaningful punch in about 4 years, world class chin is about all Kingpin has to offer the sport.

Rowley wrote:In all fairness Lance not once ounce of blame for him not fighting Haye can be placed at Fury's door.

I know, and its not all black and white regarding to Furys lack of quality opposition since the Chisora fight. But the article is ridiculously glorifying Tyson, and seems to blame every other heavyweight going for his carefully picked route to the spotlight.

On his day i think Tyson could give anyone a scare, including Haye, but his team are fully aware of the fact that as soon as hes in with a heavy handed experienced operator, its is on a knife edge. Johnson was picked for his lack of motivation and lack of power. cunnngham was a cruiser, whos lost everytime hes stepped up.

Tyson is treading water until the right opportunity comes up. So are several other heavies i know, but the article is completely ignorant to this. Its quite shameful really.

DAVE667 wrote:

owen10ozzy wrote:Too many people quick to jump on people's work on this site without actually offering anything themselves. It may have needed editing but given everyone who runs & moderates the site, journal etc etc also have full time jobs it can't always be done.

If everyone was as quick to offer an hour of their free time a week to helping do stuff for the site as they were to come spout off about the layout of an article or such then perhaps things would read a little better....or indeed maybe they would find there own articles being ridiculed or touted as having their own agendas/love in's!

Bloody hell, who piddled on your chips?

I think Owen has started to think he's more important than he is on here, the majority of us come on here just to talk about boxing and other sports, I have no inclination to waste my time writing a propaganda filled article.

What you guys decide to do is down to you but you have to expect the rest of us to pass judgement, there's so much of this crap written about Fury it gets tiresome, why don't you as the 'writers' add a bit of variety.

Have to agree with hammer..............It's so biased to Tyson fury it's almost like a press release....

It's a debating shop....... not a PR bureau...

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:People moan about Wlad........but all the challengers are waiting him out....

Wilder, Fury, Haye, Price etc..........Are like little fishes waiting for the shark to leave the carcass so they can feed........

Pathetic...........

While i am not Wlads biggest fan, you are spot on about the girls blouses in the heavyweight division Truss.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:

DAVE667 wrote:

owen10ozzy wrote:Too many people quick to jump on people's work on this site without actually offering anything themselves. It may have needed editing but given everyone who runs & moderates the site, journal etc etc also have full time jobs it can't always be done.

If everyone was as quick to offer an hour of their free time a week to helping do stuff for the site as they were to come spout off about the layout of an article or such then perhaps things would read a little better....or indeed maybe they would find there own articles being ridiculed or touted as having their own agendas/love in's!

Bloody hell, who piddled on your chips?

I think Owen has started to think he's more important than he is on here, the majority of us come on here just to talk about boxing and other sports, I have no inclination to waste my time writing a propaganda filled article.

What you guys decide to do is down to you but you have to expect the rest of us to pass judgement, there's so much of this crap written about Fury it gets tiresome, why don't you as the 'writers' add a bit of variety.

Not really Hammersmith; what I am tired of is coming on and seeing people's articles being taken over by the same hyperbole and nonsensical rubbish that is posted every day without actually adding anything to the debate...or even worse articles and threads OP being completely diverted from to talk about other stuff.

I have no problem with people coming on and passing judgement/debating things if they are actually adding substance to it; plenty of people currently aren't...rather just stating 'this is a rubbish'...'this is a PR release' etc etc etc. Instead why don't people say 'Fury isn't chasing such and such as shown by point X or Y' or 'Wilder should be ahead of Fury in the rankings because of this reason or that reason'. That's creating debate. Just reeling of a sentence with no real reference is nothing more than being pernickety for the sake of it.

Also lest we forget that articles sometimes require 'excess' views one way or the other....that in itself creates debates and drives traffic this way...which is the point of the V2 journal after all.

Listen to yourself..

Well If you are tired of coming on .......Then don't.......

Maybe set up a new site with your Mate Eddy..........

Have a snickers bar...You're becoming a right little Diva....

I don't particularly like having five wallies jumping on every article I write calling me a T***er.........Even though I am...

Never heard you complain about that though .........

To be fair Truss myself and admins do sort that out, that isn't Owens place to get involved unless it is via the report button.

Too much ill feeling on here at the moment, i dont understand why some people make it all so personal on here, its just a boxing forum no ones opinion is worth more than anyone elses and non of it is the real world. The constant childish bickering and insults are completely ruining so many good threads on here that it is in danger of spoiling what is a great forum full of passionate boxing fans with interesting opinions. Too much of the good stuff is being lost in the BS at the moment and people need to start taking a look at themselves if they think they are more important than the forum.

Certainly been better days on here........

Though I must say the recent articles have improved the site no end from the "writers"........Apart from this piece of fan I CANNOT TYPE A SENTENCE WITHOUT RESORTING TO VULGAR LANGUAGE crap..

Abuse levels have gone up..........I agree.......and not the tongue in cheek stuff I come out with..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:He is that level now........Because he isn't going to learn of anyone before he arrives at it...

Like Lomo he's ready now..

Lomo's one of the most decorated amateurs of all time, whereas Joshua's amateur career was 2, 3 years?

What's wrong with pointing out that an article shows heavy bias owen? I don't write articles often if at all but if people see something blatant they can surely point it out, that's just a risk of putting your work in the public eye.