TYSON'S WORLD CLASS GAMBLE

[HS Press]

TYSON'S WORLD CLASS GAMBLE

King’s Hall, Belfast, 17th September

London (5, Sept 2011) Tyson Fury says he will battle with North American champion Nicolai Firtha at Belfast's King's Hall on September 17 because he wants to give the Irish fans a night to remember.

The 12 round international contest will be shown live on Channel 5.

British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Fury could have fought lesser men but instead he faces the 32-year-old from Ohio who two fights ago went the distance with the new WBA World heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin who recently won his title with a points win over Ruslan Chagaev.

Firtha won the NABA title in 2010 after stopping Tony Grano in two rounds and since then he has been in the form of his life, his most recent victory coming on 13th August in Ohio and he has warned Fury's promoter Mick Hennessy that he is ready to halt the Fury bandwagon.

Unbeaten Fury says he is taking "a bit of gamble" against 6ft 6' Firtha but is ready to handle what he expects to be the biggest challenge of his career. Fury says, "There was a lot of talk about me fighting Martin Rogan and a few other names like Mike Perez and Leif Larsen were mentioned but I've accepted to fight Firtha who's a lot younger than Rogan and has mixed in a lot higher company than any of those other guys.

"With two weeks to go I know this is a risk, a gamble but I'm a true fighting man and a man of honour and I'm prepared to fight any man on the planet and I want the Irish fight fans to come out and see a real fight not some knock over job.

"Anybody who knows anything about boxing can see that this is a risky fight because Firtha has gone the distance with the man who now holds the WBA belt which David Haye once held. It's going to be a big test for me so soon after me beating Dereck Chisora but I know it's a challenge that I can rise to."

Promoter Mick Hennessy expects Firtha to bring out the best in Fury and says a win will help Fury's stock rise even further on the world scene.

Hennessy commented: "Firtha is always in great shape, he's coming off the back of a good win and a very good performance against Povetkin the WBA champion so it's going to be real test for Tyson but I believe in Tyson and that's why I'm prepared to put him in with such an opponent.

"Although the fight has been agreed with just over two weeks to go, the Firtha camp have known about the possibility of this fight for some time. We had been looking at the Rogan fight but when that fell through then we looked to make the Firtha fight. Tyson's profile in America is on the rise and a win against Firtha will only help that.

"It's going to be a great night's boxing at the King's Hall with former WBC Champion Junior Witter fighting current Irish welterweight champion Stephen Haughian and Ryan Greene and Willie Thompson who will be fighting it out for the vacant Northern Ireland Light Middleweight title”.

Also Joining these fighters at the King's Hall will be a host of talented boxers including Kid Galahad, Phill Fury, Tommy Tolan, Phil Townley and former British title challenger Kevin O'Hara who is looking to get his career back on track.

Tickets priced from £28.00 are available to purchase from the Ticketmaster box office on 0844 277 4455 (24 hour). Tickets are also available in person from Ticketmaster outlets, and online from http://www.ticketmaster.ie.

[Dioufy]

Get frigged.

[johnswan1]

This guy got KO'd by Tye Fields two years ago. An experienced opponent but not anywhere near the same class as Dell Boy. On two weeks notice it is a fair opponent, and at £28 the card looks worthwhile.

[Counter-puncher]

Witter - Haughian is a halfway interesting U/C fight....

[TheCobra]

LOL at these press releases. Classic Hennessy.

[Spiker]

Get frigged.

[josco]

Who's the ref? Hopefully not O'Connor or Parris.

[DavidPayne]

With a 23 year old heavyweight, I don't think EVERY fight has to be progressive/50:50.

Some record padding is acceptable, providing its not ENTIRELY meaningless.

Wouldn't bother me if Fury kept busy between more meaningful fights with 'straight-forward' ones like this.

You don't want him 55-0 and still doing it. But he's just come off a massive win, have a little earner, then press for that next progressive fixture.

[NazNaci1]

He went the distance with Povetkin. He did not put in a good performance, well, unless you consider going the distance a good performance.

Chisora would beat this guy to a pulp, so this is, for me, a step backwards. Hype is fine, but dressing this up as some kind of movement towards world class and calling it a 'gamble', is pretty silly.

[leforge]

With a 23 year old heavyweight, I don't think EVERY fight has to be progressive/50:50.

Some record padding is acceptable, providing its not ENTIRELY meaningless.

Wouldn't bother me if Fury kept busy between more meaningful fights with 'straight-forward' ones like this.

You don't want him 55-0 and still doing it. But he's just come off a massive win, have a little earner, then press for that next progressive fixture.

I agree with that. But don't just have this as the main event going out on channel 5 have it a fight as part of good bill.

[stevek3lly]

He has been in with some decent names in the last few years and managed to go 10 rounds with Povetkin last december so cannot be taken too lightly. Lets just hope Tyson put on a performance and gets him out of there.

[exittored]

Sounds like James Toney wanted this fight

http://sportsvibe.co.uk/news/boxing-and ... ney-10496/

He's been in the gym for the past few months and would have come in against Fury in his best shape for years.

Having said that it might of been too big a risk at this stage of Tysons career, shame though as it would have made for a much better learning fight for him.

Firtha is alright but nothing to get excited about especially when it's going to be live on Channel 5.

[funso banjo baby]

it will be a sloppy ugly 3rd or 4th round stoppage.

Firtha is very average.

[IRLangmaid25]

Never the less regardless of the quality of the opposition that has been brought in it is a keep busy fight for Tyson Fury that keeps active and gets rounds in while he waits to see who is going to be his mandatory for the British and Commonwealth straps between David Price and John McDermott when that gets made, so it is a good move from Mick Henessy to get Fury back in the ring as quickly as he did following his victory over Derek Chisora, but I expect Fury will stop Nikolai Firtha in the middle rounds.

[dewipowell]

Surely the likes of David Price, Richard Towers, Martin Rogan ect would have taken this fight? It would make sense on both sides for them to fight, the champion fights good domestic opposition and the challenger gets a massive opportunity. Since Hennessey has been saying that Fury is a world beater then I why he wouldn't want to make these fights.

[Finn]

With a 23 year old heavyweight, I don't think EVERY fight has to be progressive/50:50.

Some record padding is acceptable, providing its not ENTIRELY meaningless.

Wouldn't bother me if Fury kept busy between more meaningful fights with 'straight-forward' ones like this.

You don't want him 55-0 and still doing it. But he's just come off a massive win, have a little earner, then press for that next progressive fixture.

Exactly and the del boy fight went the distance (7 weeks latere he's fighting again) Furys level of activity is to be commended, at the end of the day this is a fight against a relatively experienced opponent who has mixed with top level fighters.

Fury needs to be learning his craft and this is a good fight for that., its not like they're rolling in some blown up middle weight who's going to give up in 30 seconds.

Plus to be fair Fury's fights are usually a pretty good watch.

[Dioufy]

This is where boxing let's itself down. Gives us a great event in Chisora/Fury (even the wife enjoyed that one), gets massive viewing figures, then serves up shit like this. A whitewash defeat to Povetkin is really this guy's claim to fame? I was looking forward to seeing this do well on 5, but I am apathetic now.

And I feel so will most of that 3,000,000 viewers will be, too.

[Finn]

This is where boxing let's itself down. Gives us a great event in Chisora/Fury (even the wife enjoyed that one), gets massive viewing figures, then serves up shit like this. A whitewash defeat to Povetkin is really this guy's claim to fame? I was looking forward to seeing this do well on 5, but I am apathetic now.

And I feel so will most of that 3,000,000 viewers will be, too.

I dont think so, for the simple fact that if Fury does get a sub par opponent he usually demolishes them, your average sports fan who tunes in to watch a fight like seeing that happen.

Different story if it turns into a 12 round stinker.

[Dioufy]

This is where boxing let's itself down. Gives us a great event in Chisora/Fury (even the wife enjoyed that one), gets massive viewing figures, then serves up shit like this. A whitewash defeat to Povetkin is really this guy's claim to fame? I was looking forward to seeing this do well on 5, but I am apathetic now.

And I feel so will most of that 3,000,000 viewers will be, too.

I dont think so, for the simple fact that if Fury does get a sub par opponent he usually demolishes them, your average sports fan who tunes in to watch a fight like seeing that happen.

Different story if it turns into a 12 round stinker.

This is the type of fight that needs to be chief support, whether on Sky or Channel 5.

[Grilling Machine]

World-class gabble? Well, he's no Toney, but he can yap a bit, aye.

[SAPFO]

I'd like to see him fight a fit Chisora!

[exittored]

This is where boxing let's itself down. Gives us a great event in Chisora/Fury (even the wife enjoyed that one), gets massive viewing figures, then serves up shit like this. A whitewash defeat to Povetkin is really this guy's claim to fame? I was looking forward to seeing this do well on 5, but I am apathetic now.

And I feel so will most of that 3,000,000 viewers will be, too.

I dont think so, for the simple fact that if Fury does get a sub par opponent he usually demolishes them, your average sports fan who tunes in to watch a fight like seeing that happen.

Different story if it turns into a 12 round stinker.

This is the type of fight that needs to be chief support, whether on Sky or Channel 5.

Agreed and after seeing Firtha's performance against Povetkin which was a borefest there's a good chance he'll try and use the same tactics against Fury, run away for most of fight and then tie up Tyson as soon as they get inside.

I would have loved Tye Fields vs Tyson Fury even if it lasted a couple of rounds, would have made for a short but exciting fight and definately would have appealed to the casual viewer watching on Channel 5 plus Fields always looks like he's in shape which can't be said for Firtha.

This is Fields knocking out Firtha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW-tDoTfomg

[Giancarlo]

World class gamble?

North American Champion?

[Grilling Machine]

Looks all best and no test, red.

[THEBUTCH]

Good post David Payne. Spot on!