By Mark Vester
According to a report in The Sun, British heavyweight Tyson Fury (13-0, 9KOs), and his promoter Mick Hennessy, are going to appeal the recent decision from the British Boxing Board of Control, which refused to sanction a fight between Fury and 42-year-old Francois Botha (47-5, 28KOs). The fight was scheduled for February 19 in Wembley Arena.
BBBoC Secretary Robert Smith said to The Sun: "I don't know why the fight was announced."
Hennessy is angry with the British Board's decisions. He says decisions like this are killing the sport.
"Decisions like this are killing the sport. I'm told it's because of Botha's age, yet George Foreman won the world title at 45," Hennessy said.
There is a big difference between Foreman's win over Michael Moorer, and Botha who was knocked out in his last fight by a way past his prime Evander Holyfield. Starting at the point of his 1987 comeback, Foreman was 27-2, 25KOs as he stepped in the ring with Moorer that night. The two defeats were to a prime Holyfield and a prime Tommy Morrison. Botha has had four fights since he returned in 2009 from a two year break. He's gone 2-1-1, and one of those wins was a close split decision.
