Fury thinking big for his next opponent
Tyson Fury wants Frank Warren, his promoter, to find a “bigger opponent” for his next fight in Belfast on Aug 18 after a facile victory against Sefer Seferi in the former world No 1’s comeback fight after a 31-month absence. Seferi, 39, quit on his stool after four rounds.
Fellow British heavyweight Tony Bellew acted with alacrity to put himself forward as an opponent, with Warren saying yesterday that Fury-bellew could take place “by the end of the year”.
The takeaway from the return of Fury is that he remains a long way from being close to challenging at elite level again. Critics accused the contest of being cynical matchmaking, the 6ft 9in, 19st 10lb Fury facing an opponent who was a foot shorter and five stones lighter. But even Fury himself expects tougher, taller opposition next time out, on the undercard of Carl Frampton’s next outing at Windsor Park.
“I want someone big, not small ones,” he said Fury. “Look at Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, they’re big guys. I’ve got to prepare for people like that. A couple more fights and I’ll be ready. If I am honest, I could have done him [Seferi] in the first 10 seconds. But what good would that have done me?”
Though Fury insisted afterwards that he will “have a world title by the end of the year, no problem” there is a long way to go yet to rediscover the form he showed in November 2015, when he skilfully dethroned Wladimir Klitschko.
Bellew, ranked No 6 by the World Boxing Council after his back-toback victories over David Haye, was quick to respond. “I’d knock Fury out,” tweeted Bellew after witnessing events unfold in Manchester.
Warren responded yesterday that Fury’s “third or fourth fight could be for a title”.