NEW AND IMPROVED?
Hughie Fury returns at the age of 29 after three-year absence, writes Matt Bozeat
THE promise is this: We will see a more exciting version of heavyweight Hughie Fury when he returns from a 30-month absence in Rotherham on Saturday.
Out of action since a win over Christian Hammer in October 2021, Fury has been told by father and trainer Peter to “let your hands go” when he faces Ukraine’s Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko, 10-15-1 (7) over six at the Magna Centre. GBM Sports promote another bumper show.
Peter insists his son, now 29, has made “a helluva lot of changes” since beating Hammer. He puts his absence since then down to battles with long Covid and other illnesses.
Fury, 26-3 (15), meets Dovbyshchenko, who has yet to be stopped. He is known here for lasting six rounds with Moses Itauma last April, then bursting the bubble of Midlands knockout specialist Matty Harris and taking Jeamie Tshikeva six in January.
In his 26-fight career compiled in nine countries, Dovybyshchenko has only been off his feet once, against Harris in Edinburgh last July. He got up to stop Harris in five, a result that led to Harris joining Peter Fury.
Fury is long – 6ft 6ins tall and with an 80ins reach – and mobile and has mostly used the style that made cousin Tyson close to untouchable when he worked with Peter.
Peter says he’s told his son “this is the entertainment business” ahead of this weekend, but given Dovbyshchenko’s durability and Fury’s rust, we go for Hughie on points.
GBM have high hopes for Shakiel Thompson, a 6ft 3ins middleweight southpaw who’s 11-0.
He steps up to 10 rounds here against Vladimir Georgiev, a 33-year-old Bulgaria who started his pro career based in Weston-super-mare and went three rounds with Zak Chelli in Ultimate Boxxer back in November, 2020.
The 26 year-old Thompson has been a pro since October 2018.
Queensberry had a look at him after he stopped his first three, but that didn’t last and he only boxed once in 2023.
GBM are now getting behind Thompson, trained by ex-pro Roger Sampson and managed by Kevin Maree.
Thompson, who lost a Youth semifinal to Ben Whittaker during a 70-bout amateur career, has a relaxed, mobile style and at 6ft 3ins tall, he’s going to tower over most in the 160lbs division, including Georgiev.
He won his first four over here before stepping in at short notice to take part in Ultimate Boxxer after Ben Ridings was ruled out. Georgiev drew favourite Chelli and was too small to make much of an impression.
He returns to Britain as the Bulgarian super-middleweight champion after a points win over Zdravko Popov for the vacant belt last June. Never stopped, Georgiev will fancy the way to beat Thompson is to take him into the later rounds. nbut he is yet to go past six and the pick is for Thompson to control the pace and either win on points or force a late stoppage.
Worksop’s Nicola Hopewell, 4-1 (1), and Gemma Ruegg, 7-10-1 (1), become the first pair to contest the female Commonwealth flyweight title. Hopewell lost to Emma Dolan for the same strap at 115lbs in October and looks to be too fresh for the alwaysgame Ruegg (Bournemouth).
THE VERDICT Fury returns against an opponent who offers plenty of formlines against which he can gauge his current standing.