Former WBO cruiserweight world champion, Johnny Nelson, has given his prediction for a fantasy fight between Tyson Fury and a prime Evander Holyfield – and can only see one winner.
Fury is forever in the news and his announcement of his upcoming crossover fight with ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou has seen him make yet more headlines.
Away from the controversy, it’s tough to argue against ‘The Gypsy King’ being a generational talent and the undefeated Brit is widely regarded as the number one heavyweight in the world, and has been for some years.
He outboxed Wladimir Klitschko in Germany in 2015 to become heavyweight champion, before a three-year absence from the sport, only to come back to face hard hitting Deontay Wilder three times, coming out with a controversial draw, two wins, and the WBC belt.
Holyfield on the other hand remains as the only fighter to have been the undisputed champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, an achievement that he accomplished by knocking out ‘Buster’ Douglas in 1990.
That came just two years after ‘The Real Deal’ had stopped Carlos de Leon to claim all three cruiserweight titles. His power transitioned seamlessly to the heavyweight scene, knocking out all seven opponents on his way to the throne after moving up in weight.
In an interview with Lights Out, Johnny Nelson was amazed that there was any suggestion that Fury could have defeated the American.
“Oh my goodness, Tyson Fury against Evander Holyfield? Evander Holyfield, every day of the week, are you mad? That is the original gladiator.”
Holyfield returned to the ring for an exhibition in 2021 aged 58-years-old, where he was knocked out by former UFC champion Vitor Belfort in the opening round. Fury will be hoping that he avoids a similar outcome in his crossover fight, when he takes on Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on October 28th.