Tyson Fury Comeback - Is it actually possible?

[EddieHearnsUncle]

Tyson Fury has been making a lot of noise recently regarding his comeback to Heavyweight boxing. Whilst I highly rate Fury as a fighter it got me thinking the other day as to whether it's physically possible for him to return and win a world title... Let's look at some of the factors/hurdles he will have to overcome in order to achieve what I believe would be the greatest comeback story in sports history.

Weight issues:

After blowing up to almost 26 stone, has Fury done any permanent damage to his physical well being? Even if he can get back down to a relative fighting weight, will his body be able to cope with the weight loss and the demands that a 12 round heavyweight fight brings? Surely this is going to affect his movement, remembering that Fury's style is very agile I think it's going to be difficult for him to move like he did in previous years, he may have to adapt his boxing style for his new frame.

Drug issues:

Regardless of whether you're for or against drugs, if you abuse your body with class A's for a prolonged period of time, it's going to impact your mental and physical health. Your reaction times and mental sharpness will suffer, it will also badly impact his already unpredictable temperament, can he sustain the discipline required in camp to get into the correct condition to compete at the highest level? Fury in his latest interview with IFL joked about drug use once again but I can't help but think where there's smoke there is fire...

BBBofC:

Although he is now cleared to fight by UKAD, he still has to appear before the British Boxing Board of Control to obtain the right to fight again and apply for a license. The board could quite easily turn around and refuse? I doubt this will happen but it's just another hurdle Fury has to overcome if he want's to return to the ring.

Team/Trainer issues?

Boxing history is filled with stories of fighters who have changed trainers and began a downward spiral... Fury has decided not to train with long-term trainer and uncle Peter Fury and has instead replaced him with a rather unknown quantity in Ben Davison from MTK Global. Say what you want about Peter Fury but he is a master tactician and in my mind played a key role in the success of Tyson's career. Will Tyson's decision to surround himself with a bunch of 'Yes men' and an unheralded trainer come back to haunt him?

Last but not least, if this comeback is to be a successful one he has to WIN and LOOK GOOD WINNING. If Fury returns to the ring and looks anything short of amazing then these super fights with Wilder/Parker/Joshua may not be so easy to make...

As much as I would like to see Fury make a comeback and set up Superfights with the likes of Wilder and Joshua, I think there are too many obstacles to overcome. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this!

[wesshaw1985]

100% Yes...

[bigjack]

Win world title,yes,hold the majority or all of the main 4 belts,then no.

[Noxy]

I‘m not convinced by the change in trainer. I‘d imagine Fury is a handful and Peter knows how to handle him. Plus he‘s been successful with Peter. I don’t think it’s a good move

[vidal]

Yes with an 'if' or no with a 'but'

My suspicion is that it'll be somewhere in between i.e he will return but there will be pressure to get back as quickly as possible and I don't think he'll have the dedication or commitment to get in to shape in time..... or there won't be enough time available to him to get in to the kind of shape his ability justifies.

I expect a 20+ stone Fury to be beaten early on in his comeback trail by someone well below his level.

Thereafter, he'll lose interest........

[bripez]

Yes with an 'if' or no with a 'but'

My suspicion is that it'll be somewhere in between i.e he will return but there will be pressure to get back as quickly as possible and I don't think he'll have the dedication or commitment to get in to shape in time..... or there won't be enough time available to him to get in to the kind of shape his ability justifies.

I expect a 20+ stone Fury to be beaten early on in his comeback trail by someone well below his level.

Thereafter, he'll lose interest........

Some interesting points.

The matchmaking will be interesting - also, if they rush him out before he is fully fit and on the weight it will be a big risk.

If Fury ever loses, I don't think that he would box again.

[asdfjkl]

If he fights Wilder right now, he will probably indeed win a world title again, somehow I'm confident Wilder doesn't dare that.

[Terminator666]

Hope I’m wrong but I can’t see him having the dedicTion any more- is he going to put himself through two or more training camps to fight low risk opponents before a big fight? because that’s what he needs to do.

[tigermoth87]

Yes

But for how long is the question?

I can see him returning for a few fights and then losing interest/eating all the pies/getting coked up again. Hopefully he humbles Joshua before then.

[Stuarty]

I'm a believer! YES HE CAN

[Londonirish]

I'm a believer! YES HE CAN

I’m with ya!!


100% he can!!!!!

[TheCobra]

Yes he can it's not an amazing division and he does have the physical attributes and boxing skills.

Agree though it's gona be hard for him, the weight he's been carrying for the last 2 years will really have deconditioned him a lot, that combined with binge drinking & coke use which just ages people massively.

It depends how hard he's gone at the drugs/booze, if he's been on it as hard as I suspect he might have, then it's gona be a long road back. Strain on all the organs including the heart so he's gona end up gassing in fights maybe?

[KiwiRider]

He has only been out of shape for 2 years.
Sure his skin may not tighten up fully, but he can drop the weight given the right amount of time.
If drugs were an issue, it will always be an issue. Your an addict for life if you take them again or not. I think he hit rock bottom physically and mentally, that's often enough to stay away.
I've always been a supporter of changing trainer. New routines can help break old ones and every good trainer has at least something new to pass on. It's more motivating when it not the same old thing in the gym.
At 29 he is still in the physical peak Vs stamina for a man. Beating weight, mental, and drug issues can make people stronger. Yes there may have been some damage from it, but that sort of thing will catch him up in his late 30's early 40's, not right now.
His licience is all but there in the next few months from what I have read.
Can he get a belt off AJ?
Maybe, but it will be a stinker.
Will Wilder fight him?
Nope.
Will Parker fight him?
Yes, but he will not have a belt by then.

[brian13]

Yes, he will win a World title if he gets back fit and gets his mind in check.

He could beat Wilder & Parker. AJ - Fury is too close to call

[jamesmcdonnell]

He's young enough to bounce back from the physical damage he's done with his lifestyle, he's not even 30.

However, I'm not sure the mentality is right, even before he beat Wlad, he was talking about how he might retire if he won the belt. the pressure of being champion seemed to push him right over the edge, and I wonder whether those ridiculous comments he was making weren't an unconscious form of self sabotage.

I wish him well, and hope that he is returning for the right reasons for his own well being.

If he can get himself in good physical and mental shape, then I think he has the right skillset to give Joshua murders, though I expect that AJ would catch up with him eventually, I think it would be a competitive fight, and I can envisage Fury boxing him into the late rounds and stopping AJ late too.

[Mimmy]

Tyson Fury has said on Twitter he will be having 4 or 5 fights next year before facing AJ for world titles. I think thats a realistic plan. I'm sure his first fight back will be a 1 or 2 round blow out against an unknown Bulgarian which seems fine for such a lay off. Possibly second fight a decent pro who will not take Fury much further than a round or 2, this makes me think someone like David Price, or if he wants a few extra rounds maybe someone like Derek Chisora who could take him into the later rounds.

[ewenhay]

He definitely has the tools to do it.

Like others I'd have questions about being able to hold things together for an extended period.

Time will tell. His return automatically adds interest to the division. It's pretty light and predictable without him.

[dirk2686]

I don't think anyone has ever been out for this long and allowed themselves to get into such terrible condition, (and lets have it honestly - his condition at times has been catastrophic for a guy in the street never mind someone expected to be competitive at elite sport), so that has to be a massive factor.

The dedication is the biggest issue for me. We had, I think, four different return dates in 2017 and none of them happened. He was out training and 'getting in shape' with Saunders ages ago, yet is still fat. I've said for ages that if he was serious about it he'd be coming back looking a million dollars and ready to fight. Instead he looks and sounds like a fat, tired old man.

If he comes back then great - he's a big name in the division. But I think it's too much to ask and he's still chopping and changing even now - different trainer for example. I can see him getting the Joshua fight as he has the name and it makes too much money, but I think he gets destroyed.