By Scott Gilfoid: For some reason Tyson Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) hasn’t been stripped of his Ring Magazine heavyweight title despite him giving up his other heavyweight titles and taking a break from the sport. Fury, 28, took to social medial this week to crow about him still being the Ring champion, and saying he hasn’t lost the titles inside the ring and he will continue to hold onto the belt…Blah-blah-blah.
I think speak for a lot of boxing fans when I saw Ring Magazine needs to name an active heavyweight for the Ring champion. What good is it to have Fury as the champion when he hasn’t fought in well over a year now?
This belt can only be won & lost in the ring,as I haven't lost in the ring I will continue to hold her with pride, @ringmagazine heavyweight pic.twitter.com/GJpzMTWbcB
— GYPSYKING (@Tyson_Fury) January 2, 2017
I think it’s time to strip Fury and name a talented heavyweight like Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) as the Ring champion. I’m just saying, Wilder has knocked out everybody he’s faced with the exception of Bermane Stiverne, Wilder probably would have knocked him out too if he hadn’t broke his right hand in their fight two years ago in January 2015.
I figured that Ring had stripped Fury ages ago for inactivity. I was pretty shocked when I looked at the Ring Magazine’s website and saw that Fury is STILL the Ring heavyweight champion. How does Fury get to keep the strap when he’s not defending the thing? It’s just there without Fury fighting. I can appreciate fighters have trophies and what not, but when it’s an actual title belt, I don’t see the logic in Fury being able to keep the thing. It’s like he’s sitting on the belt without doing anything. What about the talents like Deontay. Shouldn’t he be able to get a chance to snatch the belt from Fury?
“Only the second Brit to win the ring magazine fighter on the year award, behind Hitman Hatton [Ricky Hatton] both Manchester lads,” said Fury in his Twitter.
I don’t know when Fury is going to fight again if ever. You can’t have the Ring heavyweight title collecting dust without a good champion defending the strap at least twice per year.
I think Ring Magazine needs to change their rules for their champions. If they haven’t defended the title for six months, then they get stripped. That means no belt for Fury. The man needs to get inside the ring if he wants to keep his Ring belt. He can’t have it hanging around his house collecting dust without him defending the thing.