Fury claims Price isn’t Right for Pro Game
Unbeaten heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury has launched another scathing attack on his British rivals ahead of his fourth pro fight in Birmingham this weekend.
Fury who has enjoyed a hat trick of stoppage wins since turning pro late last year features on Saturday night’s Hennessy Sports event which is live on ITV4. Top of the bill at the Aston Arena sees Wayne Elcock defend his British Middleweight title against local rival Matthew Macklin.
Fury though is already looking to the future and the possibility of renewing rivalries with one time amateur foe David Price. The Liverpudlian won a Bronze medal in last years Olympics but Fury believes that he’s destined for failure in the pro game. Price is set to make his pro bow later this month but former amateur rival Fury says he’s wasting his time.
“How can you have any chance in the pros as a heavyweight if you don’t have a chin?” questioned the outspoken 20-year-old. “Every time you hit him he’s on the floor and that was in the amateurs, imagine what he’s going to be like in the pro’s with no headguard and smaller gloves.
“I fought him when I was 17 and had just 10 amateur bouts total,” recalled Fury. “He was a double ABA champ and Commonwealth Gold medallist at the time. I put him down in the second round with an overhand right and it wasn’t even that good a shot. He got up and held on for dear life for the rest of the fight and got it on points.
“I sparred him after that and had him in all kinds of trouble straight away. They stopped the spar after a minute and they never let me spar him again. I believe that he was their golden boy and the amateurs were protecting him for the Olympics but it meant I didn’t get a fair crack at qualifying.”
Fury though believes that having got a head start on Price in the professional ranks their paths are unlikely to cross again. “The pros is a different ball game. In the amateurs he only had to avoid getting tagged on the chin for 4 two minute rounds and he couldn’t even manage that a lot of the time.
“In the pros the rounds are longer and the distances are longer so he’s no chance. I’d love to fight him because it’d be lights out as soon as I hit him but he won’t get as far as a fight with me, someone else will spark him out before then. He’s going to find out pretty quick that a decent chin is a lot more useful than a bronze medal in the pros.”
Alongside Fury the undercard for “The Battle of Brum” at the Aston Arena features Adnan Amar defending his English Welterweight title against Tom Glover. Also in action are Chris Male, Quinton Hillocks and Callum Archer. Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk .
TOBIAS JOINS UNCLE MAC ON KHAN-BARRERA CARD
If Tobias Webb needs a few words of advice before his debut next weekend he can call on his uncle - former WBO cruiserweight world champion Enzo Maccarinelli.
The 19-year-old amateur star makes his professional bow at the M.E.N Arena on March 14, on the undercard of the Amir Khan-Marco Antonio Barrera showdown, with Uncle Enzo part of the headline attraction of the show when he takes on Ola Afolabi for the Interim WBO title
And the hard-hitting super-middleweight is being backed for glory by his fellow Welshman.
"This boy can really fight," said Maccarinelli. "I think punching hard runs in the family because he's even more of a knockout artist than I am.
"He's worth keeping an eye on because he's going to be something special.
"He did well as an amateur, and if hadn't been for politics, would have got more recognition than he did.
"Tobias went to the amateur world championships in 2007 but it was more as a banger than a slick boxer, and he didn't get too far.
"But now he's turned into a boxer as well.
"He's always had the punch, but in the last year or so he's really developed the skills to go with it. He's the complete package."
Webb, who like Enzo comes from Swansea, may move to Birmingham or London to further his ring education, but is currently basing himself in South Wales.
"I can't wait for my professional debut," he said. "I've just been waiting on my medicals these last few days, and now they've finally come through.
"Watching my uncle Enzo fight as I've been growing up has been a real inspiration, and I've been lucky enough to work with him in the gym and some of the other lads down here who have done really well.
"We've had great success with super-middleweights in Wales - and hopefully I can continue that.
"I loved being an amateur and boxing around the world, but my heart has always been set on the pro game because it suits my style perfectly."
Tickets, priced at £40, £50, £75, £100, £150, £200 and £300, are available from the following outlets:
See Tickets
0871 220 0260
www.seetickets.com
Ticketline
0844 888 9991
www.ticketline.co.uk
M.E.N Arena
0844 847 8000
www.men-arena.com
Amir Khan Boxing
01204 535 332
07817 559 450
www.amirkhan-boxing.com
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***PAY PER VIEW DETAILS***
Amir Khan v Marco Antonio Barrera is live on Sky Box Office and in high definition on Sky Box Office HD on Saturday 14 March from 9pm. The bill also includes Nicky Cook v Roman Martinez and Enzo Maccarinelli v Ola Afolabi . To order 'Coming of Age', a night of live boxing call: 08442 410 888
Integrated Sports is distributing three 12-round championship bouts featured on the "Khan-Barrera" pay-per-view card, presented by Frank Warren, in North America for live viewing at 4 PM/ET - 1 PM/PT on cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, TVN, DirecTV and Dish Network in the United States, as well as Viewer's Choice, Shaw Cable, Star Choice and Bell TV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. Veteran blow-by-blow announcer Ian Darke and color analyst, former WBC lightweight champion Jim Watt, will be calling the action from ringside for Sky Box Office and Integrated Sports PPV.
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***FIGHT CARD***
FRANK WARREN In Association With DON KING
PROUDLY PRESENT
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2009
M.E.N ARENA, MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
THE WBA INTERNATIONAL AND VACANT WBO INTERCONTINENTAL LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS
12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 9st 9lb (135lb)
AMIR KHAN (Bolton, England) vs. MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA (Mexico City, Mexico)
THE INTERIM WBO CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD
12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 14st 4lb (200lb)
ENZO MACCARINELLI (Swansea, Wales) vs. OLA AFOLABI (California, USA)
THE WBO SUPER-FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD
12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 9st 4lb (130lb)
NICKY COOK (Dagenham, England) vs. ROMAN MARTINEZ (Puerto Rico)
THE COMMONWEALTH LIGHT-MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 11st (154lb)
BRADLEY PRYCE (Newbridge, Wales) vs. MATTHEW HALL (Manchester, England)
THE VACANT WBA INTERNATIONAL SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 12st (168lb)
PAUL SMITH (Liverpool, England) vs. RASHID MATUMLA (Tanzania)
8 X 3 Minute Rounds International Cruiserweight Championship
DENNIS LEBEDEV (Moscow, Russia) vs. MATHEW ELLIS (Blackpool, England)
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest
DENTON VASSELL (Manchester, England) vs. EDDIE CORCORAN (Wembley, London)
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Featherweight Contest
STEPHEN BELL (Manchester, England) vs. YOUSEFF AL HAMIDI (Dewbury, England)
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Featherweight Contest
ANTHONY CROLLA (Manchester, England) vs. CARL ALLEN (Wolverhampton, England)
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Light-Welterweight Contest
LIAM SMITH (Liverpool, England) vs. KEVIN McCAULEY (Stourbridge, England)
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Bantamweight Contest
CRAIG LYON (St Helens, England) vs. TBA
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Middleweight Contest
TOBIAS WEBB - Pro Debut (Swansea, Wales) vs. TBA