WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury was made to look mortal by his recent fight with Francis Ngannou last October, getting dropped hard, and out-punched the entire fight by the novice.
The fight against the former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou opened the eyes of Fury’s loyal followers for the first time, seeing the 35-year-old clearly and recognizing that he’s gotten old and fat.
If this is a situation where Fury has gotten old, he’s going to be in a world of hurt against IBF, WBA & WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk on February 17th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It’s not a good sign that there are rumors that Fury was dropped by Jai Opetaia in sparring.
Is Fury Washed?
The hair is gone, he’s now sporting a middle-aged belly, and the only thing missing is the pipe, slippers, channel changer and the reclining chair for the faded champion Fury.
Luckily for Fury, the judges in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, gave him a ten-round split decision over Ngannou, but boxing fans know the real truth.
Fury lost that fight and was saved by the judges just like the referees saved him from two knockout losses in his first and third fights with Deontay Wilder. You can argue that Fury should have four defeats on his resume from these fights:
- John McDermott: September 2010
- Deontay Wilder: 2018: Fury was knocked unconscious in the 12th, and the referee surprisingly gave him a count while he was out cold
- Deontay Wilder: The third fight with the referee seemingly counting slowly after Fury was dropped in the fourth.
- Francis Ngannou
Fury’s promoter Bob Arum views it as a situation of him not being ready for Ngannou or he’s now showing signs of deterioration in his game.
You hate to say it, but it’s reasonable to assume that age is starting to rear its ugly head with Fury because he’s approaching 36, and while that may not be old for some fighters, it’s ancient for others. Most fighters are done by that age, and Fury seems no exception.
What worsens Fury’s physical decline is the weight that he routinely puts on in between fights. He eats well and looks portly, but then he needs to work like a dog in training camp to take off the lard.
That kind of yo-yo routine of weight gain and drastic weight loss can age a fighter. It’s definitely not conducive for a world-class athlete.