By Shaun Brown
Hughie Fury could have up to five or six fights in 2016, including a major one in February, according to his trainer and father Peter.
The 21-year-old (17-0, 9 KOs) heavyweight had been due to make his eighteenth appearance last Saturday night in Dusseldorf, on the same night as his cousin Tyson who won multiple world honours in the heavyweight division when he outpointed Wladimir Klitschko over 12 rounds.
After Adnan Redzovic, Konstantin Airich and Toni Visic were all withdrawn for a variety of reasons Hughie now returns to action this Saturday night in Carshalton on the undercard of Lenny Daws European light welterweight tilt against Ruben Nieto which will be screened on Channel 5 in the UK.
“He’s obviously not going to get a world beater [on] Saturday because it’s short notice,” said Peter when speaking to Boxing Scene yesterday.
Peter also added that the disappointment and frustration of having to deal with so many late pull-outs and not boxing on the show in Germany didn’t faze his son one bit.
“He’s very professional and a good kid. He’s quiet and whatever’s going to be is going to be with him. He’s not really fussed. He knew if he couldn’t get on he would fight anyway on the Mick Hennessy show which is this Saturday which has happened, so he’s okay. He’s focused and he’s ready.”
A win on Saturday night would lead to a more sizeable task in February.
“He’ll be getting a good 2016. I think you’ll see him out in February against [a] good world level opponent. He’s really going to step his game up.
“I think it’ll be a co-promotion or something like that. It will be a big show and a good testing type for Hughie.
“Come February it can all be planned and he can get in a major fight and take his chance and after that we plan on having Hughie have five or six fights next year."
Peter was full of praise for his son and how he is learning the “trade” as his career progresses and questioned the gain of what other heavyweight prospects are getting from bowling opponents over for fun.
“A lot of these other heavyweights keep banging people over and get the wrong PR and they think they’re absolute killers. They believe in their own hype and they’re not learning the trade. Hughie’s learning his trade.
“Rudenko (who Hughie beat UD 10 in February) was a very tough guy and then he had Arias who never gets stopped. People [are] judging this kid on people with rock solid chins taking him the 10 rounds. Arias and the other one were world level opponents and the one he fought the last time was a journeyman. He’s coming on all the time."
Shaun Brown is Boxing Scene’s UK Editor. Follow him on Twitter @sbrown2pt0 or contact him at sbrownboxing@gmail.com
