SAPFO wrote: ↑23 Sep 2019, 13:47
I was just digging around the Boxrec graveyard, and I came across a few old posts, that looking back in hindsight, they were either bang on the money, or tell you exactly why Tyson Fury became so seasoned after looking average at most at the start
G0mez wrote: ↑20 Oct 2010, 17:48 20 Oct 2010, 21:48
I interviewed Brian Hughes, who has been to the Wildcard and has a relationship with one of their trainers too from years back.
Anyway he said the Sauerland gym in Germany, which is purely Cruiserweights and Heavyweights is by far the place to be for sparring that he's seen in his time in boxing. Said it was purely 200lb+ guys and that was it.
Lots of gold / silver amateur star big guys from the eastern block and poo load of massive heavyweights looking to impress from all over Russia.
Tyson Fury sparred Robert Helenius, Obenga, , Ledebev, Alexeev, all in a day (and twice on Sunday)
Feel free to add your own Boxrec in hindsight posts...
I don't think I ever put that article up anywhere in the end. I remember it was about 2009 or so. Anyway here it is.
PS - i wonder who that Ukranian big shot was with a glint in his eye... !
Brian Hughes: Tyson Fury is the Truth
At 70-years young, Brian Hughes MBE, has seen a lot in boxing but he strongly believes that his charge, Manchester’s Tyson Fury has all the skills in his locker to make it to the top of the heavyweight division in the future. A boxing man all his life, the Collyhurst Lads Club has overseen champion after champion emerge from his stable, under his experienced tutelage.
From Olympic and world honours with the likes of former WBC champion Robin Reid, who also won bronze at the Barcelona Olympic games, to British champions like Michael Jennings, Anthony Farnell and David Barnes to name but a few.
“My beautiful wife Rose has wanted me to retire from boxing, to spend time together and to enjoy some holidays. To go visit some nice places and do some sightseeing. I was all set for it, that was until Tyson Fury and Scott Quigg wetted my appetite again. I feel rejuvenated and excited by what I’ve seen them do in training. “ said Hughes, perhaps to the disappointment of his loyal but understanding wife.
“Rose has heard me talk about Tyson especially and she has encouraged me to go for it with him, she understands that I really believe this kid can go all the way, I really do. “ said Hughes.
Fury came back from a hand injury to fight Hans-Joerg Blasko a couple of weeks ago and stopped the German inside a round. But rather than be impressed, Brian was more concerned.
“Tyson is a lovely, youthful and outgoing man. But our intention was to use the skills that he has in abundance to break this guy up. So when he got tagged with a hard shot and let his fists start flying I was disappointed he’d not stuck to the game plan. That youthful exuberance can be both and an advantage and a disadvantage which we are taming and getting under control bit by bit. Once we have mastered that, Tyson’s true talent will come to fruition.” Said Hughes.
Fury stopped the German opponent quicker than any previous man to to share the ring with him, but that held no water with Hughes.
“Needless to say, we had Tyson doing 50 press ups in the changing room afterwards as a penalty for not sticking to the plan.”
Earlier this year Brian and his fellow coach Pat Barrett took up the opportunity arranged by Mick Hennessy to head over to Germany to work in a dedicated heavyweight boxing gym.
“Tyson Fury, myself and Pat Barrett went over to a gym over in Germany so Tyson could get some decent sparring in. We just can’t get the right calibre over here. Tyson even offered a big bonus to any spar that could come in and put him over. Like £10,000 or something -but not even that could entice them.” Said Hughes who believes without top sparring, Tyson’s development could be compromised.
The gym in Berlin has been set up especially to develop the cruiser and heavyweight prospects ply their trade against equally skilful adversaries from all over the eastern bloc.
“At first I was a bit sceptical about what we’d expect to find over in Germany. But I was shocked and have never seen anything like it. This place was full of heavyweights and a couple of big cruiserweights. Russians, Germans and some big lads from the eastern bloc. I’ve been to camps in America but have never seen so many fighters of the same weight class in one gym in all my years. “ said Hughes who was extremely impressed with the set up.
“I went over there with an open mind of what Tyson was going to do, given his youth – but I was very surprised indeed. Tyson boxed this big Nigerian champion and I swear he boxed this fella’s head off. “ said Hughes of Nigerian heavyweight Gbenga Oloukun (17-3).
“But he started to drop his hands and let this big guy take shots at him and I turned to Pat and I said Pat, I’m really not happy about this. I’ve not come all this way to clown about. I think I’ll be on the next flight home if this is the case. But after getting back to our hotel, Pat must have had a word with Tyson as the next thing he’s knocked on my door and apologised. “ Said Hughes.
“I told Tyson that clowns are ok for the circus or these kid’s parties, but this is a serious business for me and if you didn’t have the ability I wouldn’t be here. I told him that you never ever drop your hands and give someone a free target at you as I promise you son, one day that person will make you pay. I had to get Tyson to realise that.” Implored Hughes.
“Tyson said to me, Brian I’m very sorry and I promise you.... I promise you I won’t do that again and tomorrow you’ll see a different approach from me. And the next day to give him his due, he was absolutely superb. He promised me and he stuck to it.” Acknowledged Hughes.
“He boxed this big guy called Robert Helenius, the one who came over and knocked out Scott Gammer. And Tyson boxed his bloody head off. He outpunched him, out fought him and out gamed him. I’m telling you now and I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true but he absolutely hammered him. ” said Hughes. “It wasn’t like this guy wasn’t match fit. He’d been watching him over the course of the day and was the last person to spar with him.” Said Hughes.
“Me and Robert chatted afterwards and he was very complimentary to Tyson’s performance and said that this young kid could go to the very top. He was impressed with what he’d seen of mine and Barrett’s coaching of him. Sparring is sparring at the end of the day, but Robert, who was a beautiful stand-up boxer himself, knew what he’d seen.”
Helenius, known as the Nordic Nightmare is a hot prospect, who’d recently kept his unbeaten record going with an eight round knockout of former world champion Lamon Brewster.
Brian would ensure his party would always eat amongst the others staying locally to the gym, sharing boxing knowledge over breakfast with the other nationalities.
“There was a Ukrainian cruiser there who’d knocked out about twenty opponents and only a couple had lasted the distance with him. This Ukrainian was a big star and had a big amateur pedigree. I could tell this guy fancied beating Tyson. In the morning at breakfast I could see this guy giving Tyson the eye and smirking. He could speak English and would come over and chat to us, but I could see it in his eyes. “
“So his German trainer put him and Tyson in for a spar and it was torrid for two or three rounds. After three close rounds I told Tyson to get that jab going, to get up on his toes and no sooner had he started applying what I told him, he began pounding this guy. Afterwards the following morning at breakfast there was no longer any eye contact or smirking. In fact I don’t think he spoke to us again.” concluded Hughes, who fortunately for the Ukrainian, couldn’t remember the opponent’s name.
Hughes hope to go over again before the John McDermott rematch, to give Tyson another tough camp in readiness for silencing the doubters that believe Tyson should have lost to the big Irishman.
“That gym is full of talent. I’m telling you right now that the domination of the heavyweight scene by Russian or Ukrainian fighters will continue as they are streets ahead of anyone recently to come through the heavies here or even in America. These guys would have no problems with anyone in the very near future. So to see Tyson not only hold his own but actually give some a pounding tells me what a special talent Fury can be once we’ve got that youthfulness under control, got him sticking to the game plan and getting him using his attributes full time.”
“I’ve been in boxing a very long time and if Tyson can bring all those talents together into one package he’s capable of going all the way over the next couple of years and it would cap my career as a trainer to be involved with a heavyweight champion of the world, it really would.”
