In a new series, published during weekdays on Boxing Social, the incomparable Terry Dooley delivers his unique look at the boxing news.
Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) has spoken, and the boxing world is either listening, pretending not to listen while still talking about him, or doing a mixture of both. As Fury gears up for his third fight against Deontay Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs), the ‘Gypsy King’ has talked all things boxing and issued a call out to Dillian Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs), but in a more reflective moment he told ITV that his new-born daughter, Athena, has made a full recovery from her health complications and that the one-month-old is back home.
“It’s a part of life, I suppose,” he said. “And, you know, there’s going to be ups and downs in our lives and it’s about not giving up and always believing that you’re going to get the best out of it. For all the people out there that have got kids in hospital, then you’ve got to be optimistic and be strong for your partner or whoever you’re with and things will get better eventually.”
“You’re just praying, just hoping that things are going to be OK,” he added. “And you’re hoping for better times and that’s all you can do at that moment.”
Fury allegedly hasn’t just had it tough outside the ring following his daughter’s health scare and the positive Covid test that delayed the rubber match, as Wilder has told the PBC Podcast that rumours are circulating Fury has been getting beaten up in sparring going into their fight.
“I know he wasn’t doing well in camp, the young guys were piecing him up,” he claimed before revealing that he feels rejuvenated despite getting absolutely hammered in their second fight. “Sparring has been amazing,” he said.
“I can’t say names but just know there have been a lot of people on the canvas. You will see something you’ve never seen before. In the time off we have done nothing but work, work, work. Even when my body rested, my mind was still at it.
“I’m a king. When a king falls he has to strategise, and get back up. There is no point in moping, sitting back. You’ve got to pick yourself up, make yourself and the people around you stronger.”
However, Eddie Hearn has told Tom Kershaw of The Independent that he isn’t sure that the fight is happening. Hearn predicted that their first meeting would never happen, he was sceptical about the rematch taking place, too, and now believes that the trilogy fight could be in jeopardy, which would be yet another blow to boxing and something Hearn would hate to see given that he has often said that he is all about positivity and only wants the best for the sport.
“Is that fight even happening?” asked Hearn when speaking about Fury-Wilder to promote his next Matchroom America show. “We are about to announce our next America show for October 16 and that’s only six weeks away and it’s tight but it’s not as big a card as Fury vs Wilder III should be.”
Indeed, Hearn argued that if the fight falls through Dillian Whyte should jump the queue for the WBC belt. “I think [Fury] needs to fight because otherwise he needs to be stripped of the title or made Champion In Recess because Dillian Whyte has been sitting there as interim champion desperate and deserving of a shot,” he said.
Speaking of Whyte, the London-based heavyweight blasted Fury after his heavyweight rival told BT Sports that he would splatter ‘The Body Snatcher’. “Coke head, don’t talk about what you don’t know, talk about the two times you got ordered to fight me and pussied, you gypsy coward,’ tweeted Whyte. ‘You know where I’m at, cokehead. Hit me up baby, I got you covered.”
“I got a real fight to do first!’ Fury replied. ‘Then I take you as a keep busy fight. Bum. I can beat you with one hand behind my back. It’s OK, I’ll give you a small payday before I KO you, then it will be back to selling coke, for you. Dosser.”
Fury failed a VADA test for cocaine back in 2016. Whyte was popped for using Methylhexaneamine in 2012 before returning to action in 2014. A pre-fight drugs test before the Oscar Rivas fight in 2019 threw up a positive result for Dianabol in the Londoner’s A test only for UKAD to clear Whyte later due to contamination.
David Haye’s fight against long-time friend turned rival Joe Fournier (9-0, 9 KOs & 1 NC) has been sanctioned by the Florida Athletic Commission so will appear on his professional record. Evander Holyfield (44-10-2, 29 KOs & 1 NC) meets Vitor Belfort (1-0, 1 KO) on the bill and that one has also been sanctioned, but if you want my opinion, and if you are reading this then you do, Commander Vander’ should have been sectioned instead.
Haye (28-4, 26 KOs), though, has told the Daily Mirror that this isn’t a comeback, he just wants to beat Fournier then continue to quietly go on living his life. “When you see me in the ring, when you see me move around, there will be people asking, ‘Why can’t you continue?’” said Haye, who has been plagued by injuries.
“I can’t go by the training camp because prior to the two fights with Tony Bellew, I felt good and very confident that I was going to win and move on to a world title fight,” he added. “It didn’t happen and I’m not going to make any unnecessary predictions that I’m going to make a comeback. I feel better than I have been. But when that first bell rings, I’m aware that anything can happen. For the moment, I’m not making future plans.”
Haye clearly hasn’t been talking to Triller’s Ryan Kavanagh, who has helped put together this weekend’s farcical carnival sideshow of boxing. Kavanagh has told Sky Sports that Haye will fight a big name should he beat Fournier, and he will, so you can expect to see Haye in a more competitive fight next time. Then again, he might take on either Holyfield, Mike Tyson or even Butterbean — you just never know these days.
“If he wins?” said Kavanagh. “All I can say without giving too much away is that you should expect a very big fight.”
“I couldn’t tell you who it is,” he said when asked about the mystery fighter, but admitted that Holyfield, Tyson and Lennox Lewis were in contention. “[It will be] the highest of the high,” he said, which indicates that it could be marijuana aficionado Tyson.
“Everybody knows Joe and David have, or had, a friendship. Joe was trained by David, taught to box by David,” he said when asked about this weekend’s fight. “Everything he knows is from David. Joe is younger, richer, more popular in terms of social media. Joe called me and said: ‘I want to call out David Haye — he thinks I’m getting too big for my boots!’ I said: ‘You are, bro!’”
While writing this round-up, quotes surfaced in Switchbox TV from Haye indicating that he is indeed open for a fight against either Holyfield or Lewis: “Evander, is someone I’m so honoured to call a friend, we’ve travelled the world, enjoyed some fantastic times…He truly is the Real Deal’, boy, I’d love to share the ring with him, I mean seriously, to feel his power, wow, stuff dreams are made of.
“And Lennox, out of all the heavyweights over the years that I’ve met, seems the one who is happiest in retirement. He beat every single man that he’s ever faced. That is the most perfect boxing career in my opinion, of any heavyweight. It’s just a perfect career, Lennox Lewis is the poster boy of how to do it right. I’d love chance to meet him in the ring.”
If boxing was one of our great mates, we’d tell it that it was drunk, get it a kebab and bundle it into a taxi. Boxing and alcohol have always been a heady brew. On the other hand, we argue that if boxing was taught in schools the world would be a better place, so a school in Colwyn Bay has decided to split the difference and applied for a late-night licence so that it can host boxing and wrestling events and serve beer at them.
Rydal Penrhos Private School has just become the best school of all-time yet Mari Jones of the Daily Post (North Wales) has reported that local residents are not keen on the idea of lubricating people with alcohol then putting them in the close proximity of violence, especially as they have requested to stay open until midnight.
It could be worse, they originally applied for a 2.30am licence only for local killjoys to protest against this, too. “At the moment, a few events happen now and again at New Field and that’s fine,” said local resident Fred Smith.
“But this application sounds like many more events are planned, and it’s vastly different to what goes on now. It’s just not the right place as it’s a quiet residential area with lots of nursing homes nearby. It’s also in a conservation area and it would be a shame to see the area spoilt with all the noise and so on.”
A spokesperson from the school argued that: “Other people outside the community will be able to book the venue, but the vast majority will be from the Rydal community. Community groups already use the venue, and the Rydal community has used it for Speech Day and for wedding and funeral wakes and so on.”
It sounds like just the pick-me-up boxing needs right now and Boxing Social understands that the students are absolutely delighted by the news.