By Terence Dooley
Manchester’s Tyson Fury takes on London’s John McDermott for the English heavyweight title on the 22nd of May. The 6’ 7’’ fighter has caused quite a stir in his short, ten fight professional career due to his love of talking down potential opponents; the boxer also courted controversy in the first fight with McDermott when winning a hotly disputed decision, referee, and sole judge, Terry O’Connor scoring it 98-92 for Tyson. There has been a lot of online support for McDermott, who bossed the early sessions of the first encounter, and Fury, 21, will have to raise his game if he is to prove himself the real deal.
“I prepared well over in Germany for my last fight [a one-round blast-out of Hans-Joerg Blasko] and am due over there again in a week or so. I learn allsorts from them as they are all top class European fighters and I know I’m already at their level. If I prepare properly no one can stop me,” declared the 10-0 (8 early) prospect to BoxingScene.com.
“I know that John McDermott can’t train as hard as he did for the first fight. He put his best performance in against a seven round novice, a kid. I took him on at his own fight, going toe-to-toe, and he couldn’t even beat me at his own game, so he’s got no chance when I raise my game. It will be my fight this time, nice and easy boxing.
“In that first round of the last one I was tense about doing the ten rounds. Stepping from three rounds to ten is tough for anyone but I know I can do it now and have made the step. A bit of new defence will go in next time, a bit more flair will go in. Sure, it was a big event first time but I’ve been there, done that, and got the t-shirt so the second time will be easier.”
Indeed, Fury, whilst fully focussed on ‘Big Bad John’, went onto cast his eye over the British heavyweight landscape, the 2008 ABA super-heavyweight champion is not impressed by what he sees. “I’d like to fight Audley after taking care of the job in hand, McDermott, before fighting the winner out of Danny Williams and Sam Sexton, then I’d be British champion and will defend it a few times to keep it outright,” predicted Fury.
“I might shut Derek Chisora up and take on Larry Olubamwio then get the European. Nothing is going to stop me, not in this country anyway. Chisora has never fought anyone of any use. He has got nothing, really. I hear he gets put over by body punches when fighting cruiserweights in sparring, my speciality is body punching so if I hit him with one he won’t be getting back up for a while. I think he is a mouth to be honest. He must be half-tidy to win the ABAs but he comes straight forward, his boxing isn’t great, and he isn’t a puncher – I don’t know what he is good at.”
Audley Harrison, who fought heroically by his, and anyone’s, standards when beating Michael Sprott for the EBU title last Friday, would stand in Fury’s way should Tyson go down the European route.
“I think Harrison would destroy Chisora”, conceded Fury, “and Audley would be a good test for me, he’s a former Olympic champion, has proven that you can never count him out and would be a good scalp. But don’t forget, Martin Rogan beat Audley and Martin is just all this, [taps heart]. Martin has not got much ability but if you fight him you’re in for a tough do. Martin just took it to Audley and beat him on heart and determination.
“I don’t know how you qualify for a big fight by beating a few novices in Prizefighter and Michael Sprott but Audley is still an option because of his title. Sprott had won two of his last seven; he slipped into that journeyman mentality and picked up the odd win against journeymen. If Audley beats Alexander Dimitrenko then he’ll get a world title shot, I don’t know why - he isn’t the best in Britain by a long shot. I’d beat Audley, so would Sam Sexton and so would McDermott – I just don’t understand it.”
Sam Sexton rose to prominence during 2009 with a brace of wins over Martin Rogan, 2008’s heavyweight fairytale story, and the Norwich fighter is now preparing to go for the British belt should champion Danny Williams manage to make it to the Upton Park ring on May the 15th. Sexton, like Fury, is a young, hungry fighter; for Tyson, however, the similarities end there.
“I think he’ll beat Danny,” said Fury when musing over Sexton’s chances. “Williams is a great fighter but he’s a bit past it now. He’s had those hard wars against Potter, Tyson, Klitschko and Skelton so you’d have to say that Sexton should beat him. But Danny also has that puncher’s chance; we know that Sexton doesn’t hold a shot too cleverly because we saw Rogan put him out on his feet.
“I’d like to fight Williams just because he is a bigger name, for one, and he is the man who knocked out Tyson so the headline could be, ‘Tyson gets revenge for Tyson!’ I’m going to be getting my own little bit of personal revenge by doing a good job on McDermott this time.”
David Haye, the WBA heavyweight champion and British #1 in the division, is Fury’s long-term aim; Tyson, though, fears that Haye could be derailed before he can get to him. “Haye is a good fighter”, conceded Fury, “and if he doesn’t get beat by someone else in the meantime I don’t see why I can’t be knocking on the door for that title in another twelve months.
“I’m still a young man and could come again even if I lost to McDermott, but I won’t lose to McDermott! I’d be heartbroken and think I was useless if I lost but I’d probably come back strong from that and learn from where I went wrong, although I don’t even need to think about losing.”
Fury’s preparation for this one has been less than perfect, he joined Brian Hughes’ Collyhurst gym earlier this year but has been unable to get any significant rounds under his belt due to injuries, his sole appearance of 2010 was that single stanza blow-out of Blasko in March. However, Fury was keen to point out that the German boxer is generally a durable fighter.
“They are only one-round blowouts because I make them blowouts,” thundered Fury when asked about what he could have possibly taken from the Blasko win. “That last kid fought Alexander Ustinov, who is highly rated, and didn’t get blown away in one, he fought Christian Hamer and last more than a round, no one has ever done that to him before [Writer’s note: Blasko was finished in the second round by Ustinov and Hamer]. If I had stood back he’d have given me a tougher fight if I’m being honest. As soon as that bell goes I go for the kill, boxing is kill or be killed. I’m over-keen and very green to the game so I’m still getting used to things.
“Everyone is there to watch me and I’m not there to stink the place out, as no one forgets after you’ve done it once - I feel it is my duty to entertain the paying customers and the viewers at home. No one wants to see two big heavies tapping for six rounds, heavyweights are here to provide big punches and knockouts – if you want to watch skilful boxing then check out the welterweights or light-middles. If you want to see two big lads punching each other about and causing knockouts then you tune into the heavyweights, as that is what it is all about”
Still, Fury takes his love of the limelight a little bit too far, most notably during his all-singing, all-dancing ring entrances, which have raised a snigger or two amongst onlookers. “I’m just happy to be getting into the ring!” laughed Fury. “I love boxing and everything that goes with it. Some people go to the ring like they’re facing the gallows but I really love walking to the ring and enjoy myself – I’m having a good time.”
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