Fury: I’m coming back to KO Joshua

By Boxing News - 10/31/2017 - Comments

Image: Fury: I’m coming back to KO Joshua

By Scott Gilfoid: Tyson Fury took to social media today, saying he’s going to come back like Muhammad Ali and knockout the heavily muscled heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who looked poor in his win over Carlos Takam last Saturday night.

It’s easy to understand why Fury, 29, is sounding so motivated now. Joshua has shown zero ability to handle mobile fighters in his last 2 fights against Takam and Wladimir Klitschko. When Fury was at his best against Wladimir, he would have given Joshua severe problem with his mobility, ranginess and crafty style of fighting.

Joshua says his promoter Eddie Hearn is in talks with Fury about a fight. Joshua is pretty excited about it, as the two of them could face each other in 2018 if Fury can get his boxing license back and lose some weight.

“I will not lay down or be afraid of some muscles & I have the mentality of a winner a man who has never lost a fight,” said Fury on his social media site. ”A true champion [is] coming back to claim his throne. This is my era they are from my time, I must destroy them.”

Before Joshua’s last 2 fights against Klitschko and Takam, most boxing fans would have picked him to defeat Fury with ease. Unfortunately Joshua, he’s been exposed now in those fights, with him looking incapable of handling any kind of movement and quick punches. Moreover, Joshua has hurt himself with the way he keeps putting on more weight with each fight due to his love for weight lifting. In just 4 short years, Joshua has packed on almost 30 pounds of useless muscle, and that muscle has slowed him down to the point where it’s badly hurt his effectiveness inside the ring. Joshua is still winning, but only because he’s facing older lions like 41-year-old Klitschko and 36-year-old Takam. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has been slow in wanting to match Joshua against David Haye, Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz. One gets the sense that Hearn is trying to age them so that they’re not as much a threat to Joshua.

An in shape and sharp Tyson Fury is a REAL threat to beating Joshua, and we could see the end of AJ’s reign in 2018. Hearn has talked of Joshua reigning for the next 10 years as the heavyweight champion, but that’s obviously just a pipe dream. Joshua’s reign could come to an abrupt end in 2018 with him losing repeatedly to Joseph Parker, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. I can see a scenario like that happening unless Joshua loses some weight and improves his conditioning. The way that Joshua was huffing and puffing against Takam last Saturday, I don’t think he’s going to do well in 2018.

“The old champ coming back to fight a man who everyone thinks will KO me,” said Fury about Joshua. ”I’m gonna stop you, Anthony Joshua inside 8 rounds. Watch me go. If Anthony Joshua adopts the Mike Tyson style vs. me, I’ll adopt the Muhammad Ali style that’s coming back after years out& beating the bully,” said Fury.

Ali was out of boxing for almost four years during his prime after refusing to be drafted. When Ali did come back, he defeated knockout artist George Foreman, who at the time was seen as invincible. This wasn’t the overweight Foreman that many boxing fans remember from his comeback. This was a lean and mean Foreman, and Ali out-boxed him and stopped in the 8th round on October 30, 1974. Ali was supposed to lose to the powerful Foreman, but he outsmarted him and took him to school.

Joshua isn’t seen as a Foreman type of fighter though. Joshua isn’t as devastating as Foreman was. Joshua is mostly using his size advantage to beat smaller guys. Foreman was more of the type that would work his opponents over with huge uppercuts and powerful combinations. Foreman fought the best. Joshua hasn’t been fighting the best for some reason. Hearn has been slow in matching Joshua against the dangerous fighters in the heavyweight division. I get the impression that Hearn is working hard to protect his golden goose Joshua, who is making tons of money with the guys that is being put in the ring with him by the Matchroom promoter. Hearn doesn’t need to put Joshua in with dangerous guys, because he makes big money fighting old timers like Takam and Wladimir.

”This is my era they are from my time, I must destroy them,” said Fury. ”AJ & Wilder I’m coming back for you pair my mission is seek & destroy the only thing on my mind is destruction. Whoever gets in my way will be dealt with accordingly.”

Fury needs to have a hearing with the UK Anti-Doping committee, and thus far he doesn’t have a set date for that. If they let Fury resume his career, then it’s just a matter of the British Boxing Board of Control giving him back his boxing license. Fury can then start training and take a few tune-up bouts to get ready for the likes of Joshua, Joseph Parker and Deontay Wilder. Fury says he’s not interested in fighting Parker. He’s more interested in the bigger fights right now.

”Parker is only a young lad and is not on my radar he must gain experience and mature in to a big strong man,” said Fury. ”I hold my destiny in my own hands. The world will see the best fights & see the true heavyweight king 👑 recrowned.”

Fury is own worst enemy, and he always has been. He lets himself go in between fights with his eating and enjoying himself. He doesn’t seem to realize that his body is what makes him money. He can’t abuse his body and stay at the top in sports. It’s doubtful that Fury will be able to stay dedicated long enough to regain his heavyweight titles.

Fury has so much weight to lose, and his conditioning is likely to be poor when he does come back. In Fury’s case, it’s not just him being out of the ring for 2 years that is going to hurt him when he makes his comeback in 2018. It’s the way Fury has lived. He’s packed so much weight, and it’s going to be extremely hard for him to lose all the pounds and fight effectively. I wouldn’t say it’s impossible for Fury to recapture his past glory, but you’d have to say it’s a long shot. The only way Fury will be able to accomplish his goal of returning to the top is for him to be 100 percent dedicated to boxing, and that means not letting himself go in between fights by gaining weight. I don’t think Fury is capable of living a healthy life. He’s hardwired to celebrate after each victory, and overeat. You can only let yourself go so many times before you hurt your ability to fight effectively.