Faultless Fury steals show

[HS Press]

Faultless Fury steals show

Please see below an article from ITV.com regarding the Hennessy Sports event at the Watford Colosseum last Saturday night.

Hennessy Sports delivered another high quality bill for the ITV boxing faithful in Watford on Saturday night, where Darren Barker defended his Commonwealth middleweight title in fine style by stopping Darren McDermott.

However once again it was heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury who stole the show as he bombed out the useful Scott Belshaw in less than four minutes.

Pre-fight many in the trade agreed it was something of a calculated risk putting Fury in with Belshaw, who had lost just once in 11 outings as a pro and before that was a decorated amateur, winning a bagful of prestigious Irish titles. Furthermore, for the first time in his pro career Fury would be boxing someone with similar physical attributes in the 6'7, 240lb 23-year-old from Lisburn.

For these reasons some people, myself included, felt that Fury wouldn't have things all his own way in Watford.

How wrong we were.

I always fancied Fury to win the fight but the way he dominated Belshaw and the repertoire of punches his displayed in those four minutes was just exceptional. We knew Fury moved well for a big man and that he was fast.

However we didn't know his left hand was quite so cultured. The jabs and lefts to the body he unleashed were world class and Belshaw simply had no answers. Fury's power also seems to be getting better. He was throwing a lot of arm punches on debt against Bela Gyongyosi last year but he is hitting with so much more authority now and mixing his shots up well.

So what did his latest win prove? Well for starters it made a mockery of suggestions that he may have been about to find his level in Belshaw.

It also proved, to me anyway, that even after just half a dozen fights he is ready for a British title fight.

When I spoke with him last month and asked him how soon he'd like a shot at the British belt, his reply was, like the left hooks his was digging into Belshaw's ribs on Saturday night, short and to the point.

"If I could fight for it in the morning I would. And I mean that. Fighters should fight and I don't agree with the way some are so protected."

His attitude to business is so refreshing in the modern era and with David Haye having now moved onto the world stage Tyson looks just the man to inject some life into what has become a stagnant, moribund domestic heavyweight scene.

There are those within the game who are not overly fond of Fury's bold press statements and his calling out of established domestic names. However few can deny that this is a rare, precious talent and if he can back it up in the ring what's wrong with him talking the talk outside of it? It gives him and the sport some much needed exposure in an era where tabloid coverage of the noble art is at an all-time low. If he is backing up his boasts there is nothing wrong with Fury expressing his opinion and telling people how good he is. For as Benjamin Franklin was oft fond of saying 'What's a sun dial in the shade?'

Watching him in full flow at the weekend it was hard to believe that he has only been on this earth for one score year. Barry McGuigan said in his post-fight comments that Fury still needs to build up his experience. But I am of the opinion that if you are good enough, you are old enough.

Such was his dominance against Belshaw that it's going to be interesting where promoter Mick Hennessy looks next for his charge. Going back to feasting on rotund, eastern European journeymen would clearly be regarded as a step backwards.

A match against Michael Sprott or John McDermott should help him in his quest for experience but I don't see why Team Fury don't just go right after Danny Williams?

[Counter-puncher]

I bet Barker is just thrilled that Hennessy 'PR' is 5h1tting all over his excellent win and performance by saying Fury stole the effin show. way to make your fighters feel like there ar no favourites, Mick

[alexpaterson]

I bet Barker is just thrilled that Hennessy 'PR' is 5h1tting all over his excellent win and performance by saying Fury stole the effin show. way to make your fighters feel like there ar no favourites, Mick

I know wins one of the most important fights in his career and a 6 fight novice who fought a guy who couldnt throw a good punch gets the promoter saying stole the show Barker must be annoyed with fat Mick all he talks about is Fury and he has good fighters like Murray and Barker who dont get the attension they deserve IMO

[Counter-puncher]

yup.

[Old bones Ian]

There was good wins for all 3 on Saturday, Thirlwall, Barker and Fury.

I wouldn't say Fury stole the show, anyone who knows there boxing knew that Belshaw is very raw and would probably get outclassed early on. Saying that though Fury put in a good performance, he impressed me with the body shots, something which some of the big guys don't tend to do.

Star of the show for me was Barker, he looked a quality operator in a fight that i only put him as a slight favourite before the 1st bell. He showed that he can step it up another level though. the stoppage was a bit early for me, but thats nothing to do with Barker.

[fatton]

I bet Barker is just thrilled that Hennessy 'PR' is 5h1tting all over his excellent win and performance by saying Fury stole the effin show. way to make your fighters feel like there ar no favourites, Mick

I know wins one of the most important fights in his career and a 6 fight novice who fought a guy who couldnt throw a good punch gets the promoter saying stole the show Barker must be annoyed with fat Mick all he talks about is Fury and he has good fighters like Murray and Barker who dont get the attension they deserve IMO

Where does Hennessy say that Fury stole the show? The article was from the ITV website, Hennessy isn't even quoted on it. Anyway the heavyweights have always get the media's attention in boxing above all other weight classes whether it's been warranted or not.

I think Hennessy deserves credit for a cracking show on Saturday, you had 3 well matched fights and in comparison to the rubbish on Sky on Friday night it was a real breath of fresh air.

[Chambers2]

Yeah it was a good card on Saturday. Fury impressed again, it made me appreciate Tysons speed for a BIG man. Fair play to Scott Belshaw for taking the fight. Bring on Danny Williams ASAP IMO!

Barker looked very good again in dismantling Darren McD, hopefully he can be pushed on to the European/World scene. I'm still unsure on hos good his chin is, because he rarely gets tagged. Looking forward to seeing him in some BIGGER fights

[alexpaterson]

Yeah it was a good card on Saturday. Fury impressed again, it made me appreciate Tysons speed for a BIG man. Fair play to Scott Belshaw for taking the fight. Bring on Danny Williams ASAP IMO!

Barker looked very good again in dismantling Darren McD, hopefully he can be pushed on to the European/World scene. I'm still unsure on hos good his chin is, because he rarely gets tagged. Looking forward to seeing him in some BIGGER fights

Dont think hes quite ready for world level but certainely going that way would like to see him against Macklin and then 2-4 fights later maybe fight Strum then i think he would be ready but if he doesnt fight Macklin then maybe go for the European

[Coco]

Big, charasmatic, white heavyweights mean big bucks, Fury is potentially Big Mick's golden goose and that is why he is going to get all the publicity

[GlobalBox]

Make Danny an offer, if its enough, Williams will jump at the chance, he ain't gonna want to wait for Fury to have another 4 fights, he will want him now before he improves further.

Ball is firmly in Hennessy's court really, if they want the fight I think they can get it

[bennie]

Duane Bobick also looked great for 38 fights.

[yiddo14]

The Heavyweight Division is Boxings flagship division.

Always has been, always will be I'm afraid.

[HomicideHenry]

Duane Bobick also looked great for 38 fights.

Bobick also was uppercutted in the throat by Ken Norton when they fought.

Besides, I think you're being too critical on Fury here. He's only 20 years old, and this is not even his first full year as a pro, and he's 6-0-0 (6). He did good against Belshaw, and I think he proved himself to alot of people, because the man he beat was 10-1-0 and 6'7", it was all but an even match up on paper and Fury stopped him in two rounds.

If he keeps up with the pace he's going (one, two fights per month) we will see him either be 12-0-0 or 24-0-0 by the end of the year. IMO, I dont think he's ready for Danny Williams, but he would make interesting matches against guys like Chisorda and Price and possibly Rogan.

He's still green and in the developmental stage, I wouldnt be too harsh on him yet.

[Solis]

Unlike Fury, however, Bobick went to the Olympics and, of course, held amateur victories over two handy fellas by the names of Holmes and Stevenson.
Also, with the families thread in mind, his brother Rodney was a tough guy.
Rodney was a sparring partner for Ali at the same time Duane was sparring Frazier.

[HomicideHenry]

Rodney was a good fighter in his own right. Shame he died young in that car wreck. He lost to Scott LeDoux, and not long after Duane lost to Norton he 'avenged' his brother's loss by beating LeDoux, and dedicated his victory to his brother's memory.

Duane had a good amateur background, certainly. But I think as an amateur, and even as a pro, his greatest weakness was his mind. He had fairly good hand speed and skills and a powerful punch, he could bang thats for sure, but when something got into his head it was all over for him. But thats just my take on it, maybe I'm wrong.

People go on about his chin, due to the Norton fight, and his losses to Tate and Chaplin, but imo, his chin wasnt any worse than Tommy Morrison, who I didnt feel had as bad a chin as people made it out to be.

Fury, for being 6-0-0, shows poise and concentration. I believe he sticks to a game plan, and tries not to let himself get discouraged.

[Adamj1987]

i think bellshaw let himself down he usually boxes better than that im not saying the body punches wouldnt of still taken him out but he could of landed some good shots + i enjoyed the barker fight more just because everyone knew mcdermott was expected to put up stiff resistance

[tonyevs]

I bet Barker is just thrilled that Hennessy 'PR' is 5h1tting all over his excellent win and performance by saying Fury stole the effin show. way to make your fighters feel like there ar no favourites, Mick

My thoughts exactly

Quite unsettling that in this day and age the hunt for the next Great White Hope of the heavyweight division is still as healthy as it was exactly 100 years ago

[THEBUTCH]

On the other hand, if Fury is going to be the huge star they expect him to be, then all of the other boxers could benefit from being on his undercards in the future.

Barker was the star of the show IMO, no doubt about it. He made a hard fight into an easy fight.

[bennie]

Duane Bobick also looked great for 38 fights.

Bobick also was uppercutted in the throat by Ken Norton when they fought.

Besides, I think you're being too critical on Fury here. He's only 20 years old, and this is not even his first full year as a pro, and he's 6-0-0 (6). He did good against Belshaw, and I think he proved himself to alot of people, because the man he beat was 10-1-0 and 6'7", it was all but an even match up on paper and Fury stopped him in two rounds.

If he keeps up with the pace he's going (one, two fights per month) we will see him either be 12-0-0 or 24-0-0 by the end of the year. IMO, I dont think he's ready for Danny Williams, but he would make interesting matches against guys like Chisorda and Price and possibly Rogan.

He's still green and in the developmental stage, I wouldnt be too harsh on him yet.

I wish him well. I hope he is the real deal, but the hype is overkill, for me.