Tyson may decide to walk away after this

I WAS one round out! I said Tyson Fury would win in ten and he took 11 to get the job done but what a job he did. It’s rare that we see a contest of this calibre, the best of the modern era and one that stands alongside some of the classics in history. The best teacher I ever had was Brendan Ingle. He didn’t hand out accolades easily but it meant everything to me if I’d done something well and in his gentle Irish lilt he would say: ‘Marvellous.’ If he had been in Fury’s corner he would have said: ‘Marvellous, Tyson.’ Fury was flawless in his management of the fight. People may question that description after he was knocked down twice, but he showed how the best fighters think their way through situations and come out of them stronger. Study this fight and there are lessons to be learned for every boxer. In every moment of adversity, Fury found an answer. If you go into the ring with Deontay Wilder, a powerful, 17st man in the best condition of his career, who hates your guts and has been obsessing about punching you hard in the face for over a year, chances are you are going to get hit. The start was like running into traffic on the motorway for Fury but he didn’t panic. Wilder said he’d changed his style and that worked for the first three rounds as he targeted the body, but he was never going to turn into a superior boxer in such a short space of time. When that style isn’t in your DNA, once pressure is applied back, the tendency is to revert to type. Fury knew if he could manage that early onslaught and pick his counters, he would knock Wilder off course. He has immersed himself in boxing history and he showed glimpses of the great fighters from the 1950s to the 1990s. He used his weight to lean in and slow it down when he needed to. He had grit, tenacity and intelligence. He ticked every box from the pre-fight mental warfare to the finishing punch. Sometimes what comes out of Fury’s mouth is questionable, but you can’t help but consider him inspirational for what he has been through in life and how he fights in the ring. After such a reality check, I think that could be the end for Wilder and I wouldn’t be surprised if Fury walks away from boxing, too. He will be questioning just how real is the challenge that’s left? He is bigger than the belts. In fact, after his performance in Las Vegas, the belts need Tyson Fury more than he needs them. I am a big fan of Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, and it may sound harsh, but they are B-list to Fury’s A-list right now. He is a man who needs the challenge and I’m not sure what’s left is big enough for him to carry on.