By Terence Dooley
Despite having relinquished his grip on the world heavy crown during the turbulent two years since he won it, Tyson Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) believes that the family name will once again be associated with boxing’s richest prize after his cousin, Hughie (20-0, 10 stoppages), meets New Zealand-based WBO holder Joseph Parker (23-0, 18 early) at the Manchester Arena on September 23.
Fury won the belt by decisioning Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 yet has not fought since due to an ongoing dispute with the UKAD and a battle with depression. The former Champion visited Belfast this week and predicted a win for Hughie while also acknowledging that Parker is a tough test for the 22-year-old challenger.
“I believe this is Hughie's time,” he said when speaking to David Kelly of the Belfast Telegraph. “He has the breeding, the heart and the skill to beat Parker. I have been alongside Hughie for a long time, we have shared many training camps together and I know that he has the qualities needed to become world champion.”
He added: “Of course this is a 50-50 fight and it's going to take his best performance to beat Parker, but he has that kind of performance in him.”
The Parker-Fury fight is being streamed live on Youtube for a cost of £9.99, a move that promoter Mick Hennessy believes will change be a game changer for how boxing events are broadcast.
The winner will be well placed for lucrative fights in a division that has opened up dramatically following Fury’s win over Klitscko and is currently helmed by IBF World, WBA Super World and IBO holder Anthony Joshua, who meets IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on October 28.
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