Following the official announcement of his return to the ring in April, Lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (25-0-0, 18 KO’s) has kept fans in suspense with regards to his comeback opponent.
However, this past weekend, Fury – who was in attendance at the Selby-Warrington bout at Elland Road – and promoter Frank Warren revealed little-known Sefer Seferi as the man tasked with facing the former WBA/IBF/WBO & ‘Ring’ Magazine champion in his first bout in over two-and-a-half years.
FURY COMEBACK SHOW UPDATE:
? @Tyson_Fury (25-0) v Sefer Seferi (23-1)
? @Markheffron91 (19-0) v Andrew Robinson (21-3)
? @kidshamrock88 (17-0) v Jorge Fortea (16-1)
? @GormanBoxing (12-0) v @BigSexyboxer (12-2)
? @TroyWilliamson_ (6-0) v @JackFlatley_ (11-0)#HesBack pic.twitter.com/ARnqZT8owo
— Frank Warren (@FrankWarren) May 20, 2018
With rumoured opponents ranging from American veteran Shannon Briggs to divisional kingpin Anthony Joshua, the announcement received mixed reviews from the boxing fraternity, with most begging the question… who is Sefer Seferi?
Here, we take a look at the Albanian who will be looking to spoil the “Return of the Mack”…
Name: Sefer Seferi
Record: 23-1-0 (21 KO’s)
Age: 39 years old
Nationality: Albanian
Titles held: WBF Intercontinental cruiserweight title (x2)
Notable performances: Lost to Manuel Charr via 10 round unanimous decision [Sept 2017]
… Okay, so the record is slightly underwhelming to say the least.
However, with Fury having been out of the ring since November 2015 – including a litany of personal and health issues – it is of little surprise that his comeback opponent is, well, “less-than-stellar”.
Despite holding the, ahem, “coveted” WBF Intercontinental cruiserweight title on two separate occasions, it is clear that Seferi presents little more than a tune-up bout for the returning ‘Gypsy King’.
While being ranked at #2 in Albania (not known as a hotbed of boxing activity) behind your 41-year-old brother hardly screams the second coming of Evander Holyfied, Seferi will be banking on Fury’s inactivity and out-of-the-ring issues to come back and haunt him as he chases the most unlikely of upsets.
??? Boxrec rankings aren't always the most reliable, but it is a bit worrying that Sefer Seferi is listed as the second best cruiserweight in Albania behind his 41-year-old brother Nuri Seferi (who is 39-8). Also worth noting they are the only two cruiserweights from Albania.
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) May 20, 2018
https://twitter.com/Lead_Right/status/998222808202301440
Tyson Fury has been out for two and a half years. I think he should be given a pass for fighting someone poor in his first fight back. With that being said, pulling someone up a weight division is inexcusable. Plenty of heavyweights out there.
— Cameron Gillon (@CameronGillon_) May 20, 2018
Despite a mixed reaction to say the least, it is worth pointing out that Seferi went the distance with current WBA ‘Regular’ World heavyweight champion Manuel Charr – another mooted Fury opponent – less than one year ago, which will provide something of a barometer for the returning Mancunian.
However, after vowing to return in a blaze of glory, an opponent of Seferi’s ilk is – while understandable – somewhat anti-climactic. Should Fury come through as expected, a fairer indication of his and promoter Frank Warren’s intentions will be whoever is drafted in as a second opponent.
Another opponent of Seferi’s stature is unlikely to be welcomed by boxing fans, and with rival Anthony Joshua eyeing a clash for the undisputed crown with WBC champion Deontay Wilder, Fury would risk fading further into oblivion.
Time will tell…
