Tyson Fury’s Legs Show Their Age

Tyson Fury remains in the gym while his next opponent is decided, but a brief sparring clip with 17-year-old prospect Dylan Capetillo did little to make the former heavyweight champion seem youthful.

During the body-work drill, the 38-year-old was heavy-footed as Capetillo operated in front of him. The quick steps, sudden changes of direction and loose movement that previously separated Fury from other giant heavyweights were difficult to find.

The footage was posted by Ring Magazine, which described Fury as working on his fundamentals. Reaction from fans was less charitable. Some compared his aging appearance to his 61-year-old father, John Fury, while others focused on the lack of speed in his legs.

The controlled sequence provides only a narrow view of Fury’s present condition. It still illustrates how differently he carries his weight at 38 compared with the mobile fighter who outboxed Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

The younger Fury bounced at long range, switched directions and forced opponents to restart their attacks. His unusual coordination made it difficult for plodding heavyweights to plant their feet.

That athlete has gradually disappeared. Fury now conserves energy, uses shorter steps and relies more heavily on his jab, size and clinching. He is clever enough to win with those tools, but his margin for error has narrowed. Recent performances against Arslanbek Makhmudov and Mariusz Wach showed that he can still control slower opposition. Neither man possessed the hand speed or combination punching needed to punish his reduced mobility.

Anthony Joshua presents a different test. Joshua may be vulnerable and psychologically fragile after being dropped twice by Kristian Prenga, but his straight punches remain fast enough to punish a stationary target.

Earlier in his career, Fury had the legs to make Joshua turn, reach and miss. Without that mobility, he will have to spend longer within range of Joshua’s right hand. His enormous frame has always been one of Fury’s greatest advantages. He can lean on opponents, disrupt their rhythm, and make every clinch physically expensive.

Carrying that size becomes harder as a fighter ages. Reduced foot speed also makes him more dependent on grabbing after he punches. An opponent who keeps his hands free and attacks during those moments can force him to work at an uncomfortable pace.

Oleksandr Usyk exploited that decline twice. Fury struggled to maintain distance as Usyk stepped around him and attacked from new angles. Calling for a third fight does not restore the movement required to change that matchup. Placed beside footage from earlier stages of his career, the Capetillo sequence reinforces a physical trend already evident in Fury’s recent fights.

Experience, size, and ring intelligence keep him relevant. His legs no longer make him special.