Gradus Kraus inspired by old friend Tyson Fury as he prepares for Boxxer debut

[Ruthless-RKO]

Gradus Kraus inspired by old friend Tyson Fury as he prepares for Boxxer debut

Gradus Kraus was only a child the first time the hulking figure of Tyson Fury walked into his father’s gym in Holland.

It was primarily a kickboxing facility back then but Fury, along with his uncle Peter, would visit regularly to get away from the noise in England and do the hard yards of training camp.

About an hour south of Amsterdam, well off the beaten track and only accessible by car, it was the sort of place a 6-foot-9 heavyweight could get his head down and work. It was also where a number of tall, strong kickboxers could provide the 'Gypsy King' with some different sparring.

Peter, who was his nephew’s trainer at the time, had a strong bond with his fellow traveller Albert Kraus, the K1 legend known as 'The Hurricane', who would often have his young son Gradus in tow, soaking up the atmosphere in a gym full of champions.

More than a decade has passed since those days, with Fury becoming a two-time world champion who has held The Ring and all four major sanctioning body titles at various points since. Now 24-year-old Kraus is being hailed as a man capable of doing something similar as a light heavyweight.

Promoters are paid to talk up their new signings but Ben Shalom has told anyone who will listen that Kraus (9-0, 8 KOs) is heading for the very top. Kraus shrugs at the suggestion.

“I don’t see it as pressure,” he tells The Ring. “It just gives me confidence to go out and do it.”

Given the success his four-time world champion father had inside the ring, it should perhaps come as no surprise that Kraus is expecting to follow in those footsteps, albeit as a boxer.

“I think I was about 11 when I started boxing,” he adds. “Before it was just kickboxing because of my dad, actually. Then, when I was around 16 I just stuck to boxing only.”

Years before he made that decision, it was Peter Fury who had told him to forget about kicks and focus on the punching. “I was only about 10 at the time,” he says. “Peter took me on the pads and that’s where it all started really.

“Even then, he said ‘you are a future world champion’. He told me to stop kickboxing and focus on boxing so here we are. Peter believes in me, my dad believes in me and I believe in myself.”

Although he lives in the Netherlands and will train with his father, Kraus will also spend time working under Fury. It is a combination he is certain will bring success.

“Most of the time I will be training with my dad,” he says. “But we are only one hour from the UK. So it's really nothing. It's easy to come over again. Most of the time I’ll be training there with my and sometimes Peter comes over to the Netherlands.

“My dad and Peter are both my coaches. They text each other every day and send videos to each other of me training. So it works very well.”

The triumvirate are yet to put a foot wrong over the course of his career, which has already included four outings on British soil under GBM Promotions. The first fight of his new deal with Boxxer takes place on the undercard of Adam Azim’s clash with Gustavo Daniel Lemos on January 31 with Kraus set to face Boris Crighton (13-6, 7 KOs) over eight rounds at London’s Copper Box.

“This all started for the three of us more than 10 years ago,” Kraus adds. “Every meeting in life can be the start of something big.

“He and Tyson were also over before the Wladimir Klitschko fight, we all trained together then even though I was really young. I even have pictures of me and Tyson sparring when I was small.

“The bond was really good from the start, they are also travellers and there is a good connection. They live for the sport as a family, just like we do. I think that is the reason why my bond is really close with Peter, too.”

It will be Peter in the corner at the Copper Box as the Dutchman kicks off the next phase of his career. Although there is a long way to go from Crighton to the top of the division, Kraus is adamant he is ready now.

“I think I have the best team in the world,” he says. “I have been inspired ever since I was a boy watching one of the best heavyweights ever train in the gym. I want to reach those heights and I think Boxxer is the perfect organisation for me to do that with. It is growing rapidly and so am I.

"I think the time is already here but I hope that by the end of the year or beginning of next year I will be getting close to those big names.

“First, I will focus only on January 31, then I will be 10-0 and we can see what’s coming next. Whatever that is, I’m excited.”

[keithmoonhangover]

I guess this is the level of new signing that Shalom is going to get from now on.

[margaret thatcher]

gradus is legit, though not sure the uk would ever really get too excited about him as a dutchman. lots of am experience, and he really excelled in the iba pro style fights. beat a 2x olympic champ, knocked out a euro champ/worlds bronze, and beat a strong kazakh. kinda got a bit of carl froch to him where hes got some skill but his physical strength and engine are what really make him a handful as fights go on.

his dad albert absolute legend in kickboxing, so many wars and amazing fights he was in

[KiwiRider]

I guess this is the level of new signing that Shalom is going to get from now on.

At least it's a dude.

[margaret thatcher]

gradus is at least euro level potential imo, its not really the level of his boxing that would be the issue, more like why would a uk audience want to watch him in large numbers. hes already been on a few uk cards and even the hardcores here barely mention him

[Ruthless-RKO]

He headlined a GBM show last year too I think

[keithmoonhangover]

gradus is at least euro level potential imo, its not really the level of his boxing that would be the issue, more like why would a uk audience want to watch him in large numbers. hes already been on a few uk cards and even the hardcores here barely mention him

I've seen a couple of his fights, he's OK.

[jonp]

One of the best prospects ive seen in the gym for a long time.

[margaret thatcher]

One of the best prospects ive seen in the gym for a long time.