News that the Ring of Fire showdown between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk scheduled for
February was to be postponed was greeted with understandable disappointment by the boxing
world. Now we will have to wait a little longer to celebrate the first undisputed heavyweight
champion in the four-belt era.
Fury suffered a cut in training and the fight has now been postponed until May. In one way, the
extended wait for the bout will only build up the excitement, as Fury’s fans get ready to cheer
him on to victory. Usyk will be a fearsome opponent, of course, but it is Fury who enjoys the
global media presence that few fighters – especially non-American fighters – have had for
decades.
The boxing betting markets for the Fury-Usyk bout will now have a little more time to tempt fight
fans. But we can take this time to consider just how big an impact Tyson Fury has had on the
sport. He is a larger-than-life personality who has done wonders for the fight game since he first
entered the ring. With all his baggage, is it possible to argue that Fury is actually the best thing
that has happened to boxing in a very long time?
Worldwide Appeal
There was a time when boxers – especially heavyweight fighters – were known across the
world. There were fewer belts available back in the day, of course. But everyone knew who the
heavyweight champion of the world was and, thanks in part to the great Muhammad Ali, they
had the talk too.
After Ali we expected our champions to be as electrifying outside of the ring as they were inside.
That wasn’t always the case but even fighters who didn’t possess the charisma of Ali (and let’s
face it, who did), could put on a show. Just think back to how fearsome Mike Tyson was. And
even former British champions like Bruno and Lewis were loved by the public.
It seemed as though that kind of personality had disappeared from boxing. Maybe the rise of
MMA and UFC made boxers feel as if they had to push the brutal side of their personality to get
attention. But until Fury made his comeback, it was sometimes difficult to get behind fighters for
who they were, as well as for their talent in the ring.
Career Turnaround
Tyson Fury is almost universally loved by boxing fans these days. But he didn’t always enjoy the
same level of devoted support from the British media. Beating Wladimir Klitschko back in 2015
should have been the beginning of Fury’s ascent in the eyes of the public. But it began one of
the darkest periods of his life.
Some of his past comments came back to haunt him, as Fury was attacked for his opinions on
homosexuality and for his religious beliefs. Fury has admitted that he has entertained suicidal
thoughts and completely let himself go after relinquishing his belts. But his performances in the
ring – and in front of the world’s media – have turned him into a much-loved figure. A recent
reality TV show featuring his family has only cemented that position.
Becoming Undisputed Would Be a Start
Tyson Fury has certainly been able to win over the British general public and fight fans around
the world. But for him to be considered one of the best things to happen to the sport in recent
times as well he probably has to back up his talk by beating Usyk and claiming all four versions
of the heavyweight title.
There is one thing being a much-loved figure in sports. But to be able to claim to have changed
the sport for the better there has to be sporting achievement as well. That’s not to say that
winning just one belt is not an achievement. But becoming the undisputed heavyweight
champion of the world is something that will make a bigger splash in the history books of
boxing.
Figure 2 To become a true great, Fury needs to win a few more belts
The Greatest?
Everything about Tyson Fury is larger than life. Standing at 6ft 9, he towers over the majority of
his opponents and his self-belief is almost as all-powerful. For a very big target, Fury is also
incredibly quick on his feet. He is able to escape danger before he gets caught and his head
movement is also impressive.
But he has shown time and time again that he is also able to take a punch. Whereas Anthony
Joshua has now gained an unfortunate reputation for not being able to mix it quite as much,
fans can still back Fury to get out of situations that look far from won. Although being floored by
opponents is not advisable for any boxer looking to win championships, Fury has always been
able to get back up again and fight just as strongly.
Even Tyson Fury’s biggest fans would shy away from proclaiming him to be the greatest though.
As we said earlier, he needs to add a few more belts to his collection before he can even
become part of that conversation. But he is undoubtedly one of the very best heavyweights in
the world today. More importantly than that, he is one of the most well-known, well-liked, and
globally recognized boxers around.
His conversion from the bad boy of boxing to a lovable TV personality has also helped Fury
become a household name and bring boxing back to the forefront for the general public. In that
way, he is definitely one of the best things to happen to the sport in a long time. Let’s just hope
that he can win all the titles to go along with that newfound position.