Opponents who were all wrong for Mr Fury

[Ezzard]

Fury has a good shot with any of them. Might not always be favourite but I'd expect all to be close.

[Bodyshot3]

Fury has a good shot with any of them. Might not always be favourite but I'd expect all to be close.

That's fair enough Ezzard and thanks for posting mate

I increasingly think that I was badly amiss not to have Holyfield on my original list of Fury wrong 'uns.....

..Vander was always a guy who made stuff happen through his sheer strength of mind, freakish physicality and an intense work-rate that he pretty much carried-up through the divisions.

I can see Holyfield being a massive pain-in-the-arse for Fury. He's throwing all the time, every second or every round and despite his size he's not getting strong-armed. And he can ride out getting a hard shot or two.

There's also that king-size competitive streak and bravery; he's not a guy to shrink from Fury's size or be remotely bothered about his titles or where the fight is at. Holyfield is going right at Tyson Fury.

[margaret thatcher]

holyfield is wrong for pretty much anyone in history, dont think anyone beats him easily

[DrDuke]

holyfield is wrong for pretty much anyone in history, dont think anyone beats him easily

That's right.

[Ezzard]

Yes, Holyfield matches up with anyone. But he could switch off in fights and take time out.

[adislav123]

holyfield is wrong for pretty much anyone in history, dont think anyone beats him easily

That's right.

who'd beat fury easily? who'd beat a prime m8ke tyson easily? a prime foreman? prime patterson?? who?? ffs!? prime lennox? prime louis? prime marciano? prime liston? who'd beat prime ali easily?

and all those men regarded the cream of the crop in their time had life or death fights versus lesser regarded heavyweight boxers who are easily and constantly dismissed as bums or clowns by absolute idiots on here but all of them where great fighters in there own right.

[Ambling Alp II]

Maybe we should preface this with "who is most likely to beat Fury" or whomever. Who is most likely to beat Fury or whomever easily. (Maybe we should define "easily" as well. )

As great as some of these guys are, they were human beings. Occasionally there were times where they were just off. Occasionally a lesser opponent fought much better than usual against them. They either lost or at least had more trouble than expected. We need to look at all of their fights near their primes and predict the most likely scenario.

[dr_devious]

Sonny Liston would have been all wrong for Tyson Fury with his 81 inch reach, murderous power and skills.

[skanksta]

tuany

The Brazilian Ballet Dancer ?!

[Seamus]

Tough fights for Fury would be Lennox Lewis, Ali when he was a mover, Vitaly, Bowe during his short prime. Mike Tyson would be dangerous for maybe 5 rds, but if he didn't take Fury out in that time, it would be all down hill from there. Prime Holyfield would be right in it for 12 rds, but hard to say who wins.

[Ambling Alp II]

Fury would actually have beaten one of those guys. Against the rest he would be toast.

[margaret thatcher]

who takes prime cleveland williams vs fury?

can fury overcome clev's advantages in skills, defense, and durability?

[DrDuke]

who takes prime cleveland williams vs fury?

can fury overcome clev's advantages in skills, defense, and durability?

You gotta be kidding. Slick Bat was invincible for those modern bums.

[Bodyshot3]

More good thoughts....and a discussion largely staying on OT

So Lewis and Holyfield seem like the prime candidates right now who ain't phased and are all wrong for the Fury style because they have many of the answers.

I like the Bowe - 'on his game' - suggestion because he was big, fast, robust and might go right at Fury and land some shots that mattered. The best of Bowe (whilst it lasted) might have been a huge headache.

The big one for me is the very best of Tyson....fast hands, sickening power, so rapid out of the blocks and that huge height difference being potentially in Iron Mike's favour. Tyson not allowing Fury to get set/find a range feels compelling.

[Ambling Alp II]

Tyson was a lot busier and a lot better at just about everything than Wilder. Fury would have got a severe beatdown in that one.
And yes Holyfield, and Lewis. You had also mentioned Foreman and Holmes earlier and obviously Ali. Liston and Bowe have been mentioned.
We should also be talking about Joe Louis. Technically sound with a ton of power, and a very accurate puncher.

[bwu]

The longer I see Fury fight, the more I think (and hope) he'll end up as one of the greats. In the meantime, I agree that he's going to have a long night against Ali, Louis, Lewis, Holyfield, Holmes, Frazier, Vitali and Tunney. I also think peak Jack Johnson gives anybody trouble.

Where I am not so convinced is the trio of Liston, Foreman and Tyson. If you put my feet to the fire, right now I would probably pick Liston and Tyson. But I do think that much of their success was based on intimidation and Fury wouldn't fall for it with either of them. Prime for prime, they likely win, but Fury gives them pure hell all the way. As for Foreman, I think he knocks down Fury, but when the latter gets up, George lets it slip away like he did with Jimmy Young. Ironically, old George was made of much sterner psychological stuff, but physically it wouldn't be close.

[Ambling Alp II]

Fury might not have been intimidated by Liston and Tyson. But they knew how to fight (we are talking Deontay Wilder here) and could punch like hell. Foreman didn't do well against Young but overall he was a great finisher. So far, there is nothing to indicate that Fury belongs with the greats. We shall see.

[Cojimar 1946]

I think Hrgovic, Yoka, and Jalolov might beat him, maybe Usyk

[p4p1]

I'm not convinced on Tyson. I actually think that if anything Fury is a bad matchup for him. For all Fury's faults he is still relatively skilled. Tyson is giving away 11 or so inches in height and 14 inches in reach. That's a long way to punch up and a lot of reach to overcome. Not that it can't be done but Tyson wasn't a great infighter and could be tied up by smaller men than Fury. I see no reason why Fury couldn't box from the outside and clinch every time Tyson gets into his own range. It wouldn't be fun or entertaining but it could be done easily. Fury wouldn't attack Tyson like he did Wilder.

[Ambling Alp II]

I think Hrgovic, Yoka, and Jalolov might beat him, maybe Usyk

Don't worry, I'm sure Fury will fight all four of them this year.