As the old playground saying goes, it takes one to know one. Tyson Fury, current WBC Heavyweight Champion, has named the prospect he thinks is likely to hold the belts in the future.
That man is Jared Anderson, a young fighter from Toledo, Ohio who has an undefeated record of twelve knockout wins. He’s a staple on ESPN undercards for now, however one must feel that it won’t be long until he’s topping the bill.
It’s no surprise Fury has come across Anderson given that a world champion needs the best quality of sparring. He’s had ‘Big Baby’ in his training camps, and is suitably impressed. He told the Pub Talk show his thoughts and provided some advice for Anderson.
“The young kid from America? I think he has the potential to be a world heavyweight champion, for sure. He’s only 22 years old. He’s got everything that you need to be heavyweight champion. He’s got heart, he’s got toughness, charisma – he’s got it all.
However, having it all doesn’t mean you’re the full package, because talent alone ain’t good enough. You need dedication. You need the ability to leave women alone, leave the drink alone, leave the fame alone. You need to [leave] all that stuff alone for the next ten years if he’s to succeed and be a good champion.”
Anderson was last out in August with an impressive second round stoppage. He’ll be stepped up now consistently, a process which will only slow down when he either reaches the top or stumbles on the way there.
Rumours about a Daniel Dubois match-up have surfaced this week, however it’s a dangerous fight for two young men with long careers ahead of them. Appealing to fans, yes, but promoters? Not always.
As for ‘The Gypsy King’, it’s safe to assume that he’ll just be watching from Morecambe once Anderson reaches the heights of title fights. He has an incredible chance to become undisputed soon and, with that ticked off the list, proper retirement surely wouldn’t be far round the corner.