By Gav Duthie: Despite succeeding in becoming the mandatory challenger for Wladimir Klitschko’s WBO title it is my opinion that Tyson Fury wants no part of a fight with the Ukrainian. He keeps dropping in other names like Wilder and his team was quick to schedule in a fight date in February with Christian Hammer ruling out a spring fight with Wladimir in April.
American Bryant Jennings on the other hand looks set to sign to fight Wladimir on the April date despite being in the box seat for arguably a much easier route to a world title as WBC mandatory.
Bryant Jennings
The WBC recently made public their entire list of mandatory opponents for champions in each division. It has been confirmed that the winner of the January showdown between Bermaine Stiverne and Deontay Wilder must fight Jennings next. It does go on to say however that if Jennings fights Klitschko then an eliminator between Alexander Povetkin and Mike Perez will determine the new WBC mandatory. Arguably fighting Stiverne or Wilder would be a much easier task for Bryant Jennings than the heavyweight #1 but he is adamant he can shock the world now. I have a lot of respect for this attitude. If as expected Klitschko beats Jennings it doesn’t finish him, he is only 30 and fights against guys like Wilder will always be there. It is highly likely that Klitschko will be retired in a couple of years and will probably only fight another 4 or 5 times so each and every contender should be trying to fight him.
Tyson Fury Evasive
Fury is the opposite you can take his comments with a pinch of salt. He verbally destroyed David Haye and Derek Chisora for pulling out of fights only for him to do the same on the eve of the fight against Alexander Ustinov. Of course I have sympathy on the loss of his uncle but I don’t think he wanted the fight. Fury is yet to fight any decent opponent over 6″3 giving him immense physical advantages over the likes of Derek Chisora and Steve Cunningham. Enter his next opponent Christian Hammer 18-3 (10) another relatively light punching 6″2 opponent that Fury will no doubt shine against. If he really wanted Wladimir then you would think he would test himself against the likes of Mariusz Wach or Ustinov.
Heavyweight boxing will be completely different post Klitschko and Fury is certainly one of the best of the rest and will likely be a world champion. However trying to avoid Wladimir if this is in fact the case will define his career in a negative way.
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