Fury vs Whyte- What A Fight!

By James Blears

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson “Gypsy King” Fury is relishing his upcoming title defense against WBC Interim champion Dillian “Body Snatcher” Whyte, in front of a one hundred thousand plus crowd, who`ll witness: “Brit Hit,” at Wembley Stadium on Saturday April 23rd, St George`s Day.

To commemorate this tremendous day of England`s Patron Saint, the World Boxing Council has created a special White Belt with a Union Jack emblem. After all, so many pubs in England are named George and the Dragon. No better way to toast the Heavyweight Division, which is the bread and butter of Boxing.

 

Queensbury Promotions won the purse bid with a staggering 41 million dollars, pipping Matchroom Promotions, which bid 32.2 million dollars. It`s the biggest pot of gold in boxing history! Ten percent is kept for the winner`s bonus.

Bold as brass, of which he`ll be getting aplenty, Tyson Fury says this is a race between a Ferrari and a Vauxhall Corsa. Perhaps not a good analogy, because the feisty Mini Coopers in the film The Italian Job, ran rings around the local cop-mobiles, after the mafia had destroyed Michael Caine`s : “Pretty car” collection, which included a Lamboghini Miura. It came to a sticky end emerging from a long dark tunnel.

Undefeated, Fury aged thirty three, standing six feet nine inches tall, who plans to weigh around the three hundred pounds mark for this one, has physical advantages. His eighty five inch reach extends further than Whyte`s arm span which is seventy eight inches. Dillian aged thirty three, who`s six feet four inches tall, is five inches shorter than lofty Fury. Quite extraordinary to consider that Sonny Liston who was only six foot one inches tall, had an eighty four inch reach.

Tyson has never tasted the bitter cud of defeat, while Dillian`s been starched by Antony Joshua`s right uppercut and Alexander Povotkin`s left uppercut.

Tyson is a superb boxer and many experts only give Dillian a puncher`s chance, but on the heavyweight scene, sporting two such enormous boxers, capable of unleashing the thunderbolts of titans, that`s all it takes. “BOOM” lowers the boom!

The only heavyweight champion taller and heavier than Tyson Fury was Nikolay Valuev, who won the WBA championship from John “Quiet Man” Ruiz. Nikolay is seven feet two inches tall and his peak fighting weight was a whopping three hundred and twenty three pounds.

The “Gypsy King” is appreciably more agile, nimble and can move swiftly over twelve rounds. Yet, no man, no matter how huge or powerful is invincible. As the sage old timers advise: “If you hit em right, they`ll go, no matter how huge they are!” The bigger they are, the harder they fall…and hit, incidently!

In fight one against Deontay Wilder, for the coveted Green and Gold Belt Tyson, brimming with bravado, recklessly dared the Bronze Bomber to follow up on a punishing right hand during round nine. Deontay duly obliged with another, plus a left hook and an overhead right. Down Tyson Fury went. Then in the twelfth, an obscuring left jab directly followed by a massive straight right missive through the guard and a left hook for good measure as he was descending, put Tyson down mighty hard. How he got up and fought back with astonishing tenacity, says so much for his recuperative powers but also his willpower. So, a split draw!

Tyson Fury has been one helluva a fighter since he first drew breath on August 12th 1988. He was three months premature and weighed just one pound! His father John named him Tyson, praying to God, it would give him a fighting chance. What spirit he then showed.

In the final chapter of the trilogy with Deontay, Tyson dropped him hard in the third, but Deontay felled him twice in the fourth and Tyson was teetering on the brink, before rallying, re-grouping and then dominating Deontay, downing him in the tenth and even harder to end it in the eleventh.

Much earlier in his Tyson`s career John McDermott, son of “Slamming Stan” gave him a difficult time in a fight for the English heavyweight title, which Tyson won 98-92, with the decision of Referee Terry O`Connor. But like so many great champions, in the rematch, Tyson adapted, improved and: “Used his loaf.” He knocked down John three times on the way to a TKO victory.

Again adversity, this time against southpaw Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin, who badly cut him over the right eye with a peach of a left hook in the third round, and then Tyson`s right eyelid was cut in the fifth, following an accidental clash of heads. He fought through blood and pain to win a UD. No one is invulnerable. The great ones are intrepid, in overcoming adversity.

Tyson Fury says he`s got one hundred and fifty million Quid in the bank, but still modestly living in Morecambe when he`s in England, and he`s musing retirement soon. As the great Marvelous Marvin Hagler once said: “It`s tough to get out of bed to do roadwork at 5am, when you`ve been sleeping in silk pyjamas.”

I believe the legacy of history is the fabric tearing at the once threadbare but now lace curtained thought pattern of Tyson Fury, so he`ll want to fight the victor of the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua. A gilt edge satin lining.

The fact that Tyson overcame deep depression and shed over one hundred pounds weight to come back for his glorious Green and Gold era, after two years in the depths of despair, brought on by lifelong anxiety attacks, is remarkable. To achieve such a comeback, following his first phase of glory, when he won the WBA (Super) IBF and WBO belts by defeating Wladimir Klitschko, is staggering. What a feat via fists!

 

Tyson Fury`s record is an impressive 31-0-1, 22 KO`s. And Dillian Whyte is no slouch either. His record is 28-2, 19KO`s. Dillian avenged the Povotkin KO with a fourth round TKO in Gibralter near Spain, to again become WBC Interim Champion. Full credit to Dillian, even though “Sasha” discovered too late, that he was still suffering from the lingering after effects of Covid 19. Anyone who doubts Dillian`s power would do well to remember his KO of Lucas Browne!

 

Dillian didn`t attend the first press conference for the biggest fight of his life. Tyson was the only show, and a spectacular showman at that. Perhaps Dillian was mindful of the acerbic and caustic verbal tongue lashing Tyson unleashes, which irritates the bile ducts? Tyson`s tongue even defiantly darts out during fights.

Mark Lyson from Liverpool will referee this fight, but no English Judges. Robert Tapper from Canada, Juan Carlos Pelayo from Mexico and Guido Cavalleri from Italy.

Few think or imagine it could go the distance, but you never know. As the Old Salts say, stranger things have happened at sea.

Dillian`s best chance is to attack early with a devastating onslaught, targeting the body and then switching to Tyson`s head, at skyscraper altitude. But, by throwing clusters of punches in bunches, rather than single shots, which could be weathered and withstood. Being so big and powerful in his own right, makes Dillian dangerous, unpredictable and capable of inflicting a knockdown. Showboating against Dillian could elicit a TNT salvo response. Tyson Fury can set up a KO with long searing left jabs and power driving right hands, headhunter style, reinforcing it with his extraordinary bulk.

In the recent WBC Convention in Mexico City, the legendary Larry Holmes said he`d offset and negate all of that, by avoiding leaning clinches and slamming combinations into a fleshy midriff to set up a chopping finish. Tyson does indeed have some well- rounded hips.

This will be a ring war of sheer attrition. Whoever emerges from a meteorite slugfest, will have earned every pound, shilling and pence, as the Referee likely tolls the doleful decimal. And then, they won`t find it easy to parry the ever vigilant Inland Revenue, who`ll be hot on their heels…Rule Britannia!

  WBC STATS WBC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE WEMBLEY STADIUM WEMBLEY, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM 

APRIL 23, 2022

 TV: PANAMA TELEMETRO CHANNEL 13 / USA INDEMAND /               UNITED KINGDOM BT SPORT 

 THIS WILL BE THE WBC’S 2, 136 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE   FIGHT   IN   THE   FIFTY-EIGHT YEAR HISTORY OF THE WBC

  

QUEENSBERRY PROMOTONS & TOP RANK, PRESENT:

 

TYSON FURY (GB)

WBC CHAMPION

Nationality:           United Kingdom

Date of Birth:        August 12, 1988

Birthplace:            Manchester, Lancashire

Resides:                Henderson, Nevada

Alias:                    ‘The Gipsy King’

Record:                 31-0-1, 22 ko’s

KO’S:                   68. 8%

Age:                      33

Guard:                  Orthodox

Total rounds:         204

World Title fights:  5 (4-0-1)

Trainer:                Javan Hill

Management:         MTK Global

Promoter:             Top Rank /

Queensberry Promotions

 

DILLIAN WHYHTE (GB)

WBC INTERIM CHAMPION

 

Nationality:           United Kingdom

Date of Birth:        April 11, 1988

Birthplace:            Port Antonio, Jamaica

Resides in:             Brixton, London

Alias:                    ‘The Body Snatcher’

Record:                 28-2-0, 19 ko’s

KO’S:                   63.4%

Age:                      34

Guard:                  Orthodox

Total rounds:         164

World Title fights: 3 (2-1-0)

Trainer:                Xavier Miller

Manager:              Eddie Hearn

 

Promoter:             Matchroom Boxing

 

WBC´S HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

NAME                                  PERIODO CHAMPION

1. SONNY LISTON (US) (+) 1963 – 1964
2. MUHAMMAD ALI (US) (+) 1964 – 1967
3. JOE FRAZIER (US) (+) 1968 – 1973
4. GEORGE FOREMAN (US) 1973 – 1974
5. MUHAMMAD ALI (US) * 1974-1978
6. LEON SPINKS (US) (+) 1978
7. KEN NORTON (US) (+) 1977 – 1978
8. LARRY HOLMES (US) 1978 – 1983
9. TIM WITHERSPOON (US) 1984
10. PINKLON THOMAS (US) 1984 – 1985
11. TREVOR BERBICK (CAN) (+) 1986
12. MIKE TYSON (US) 1986 – 1990
13. JAMES DOUGLAS (US) 1990
14. EVANDER HOLYFIELD (US) 1990 – 1992
15. RIDDICK BOWE (US) 1992
16. LENNOX LEWIS (GB) 1993 – 1994
17. OLIVER MCCALL (US) 1994 – 1995
18. FRANK BRUNO (GB) 1995 – 1996
19. MIKE TYSON (US) * 1996
20. LENNOX LEWIS (GB) * 1997 – 2001
21. HASIM RAHMAN (US) 2001
22. LENNOX LEWIS (GB) * 2001 – 2003
23. VITALY KLITSCHKO (UKRAINE) 2004
24. HASIM RAHMAN (US) * 2005 – 2006
25. OLEG MASKAEV (KAZAKHSTAN) 2006 – 2008
26. SAMUEL PETER (NIGERIA) 2007 (INTERIM) – 2008
27. VITALY KLITSCHKO (UKRAINE) * 2008 – 2013
28. BERMANE STIVERNE (CANADA/HAITI) 2014 – 2015
29. DEONTAY WILDER (US) 2015 – 2020
30. DILLIAN WHYTE (GB) INTERIM 2019 – 2020
31. ALEXANDER POVETKIN (RUSSIA) INTERIM 2020 – 2021
32. DILLIAN WHYTE (GB) INTERIM * 2020 –
33. TYSON FURY (GB) 2020 –

* REGAINED

 

WBC´S HEAVYWEIGHT TOP TEN CHAMPIONS

 

 

1. MUHAMMAD ALI (US)
2. MIKE TYSON (US)
3. LENNOX LEWIS (GB)
4. LARRY HOLMES (US)
5. EVANDER HOLYFIELD (US)
6. GEORGE FOREMAN (US)
7. JOE FRAZIER (US)
8. VITALY KLITSCHKO (UKRAINE)
9. SONNY LISTON (US)
10. KEN NORTON (US)

 

GENERAL INFORMATION OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION IN THE ENTIRE WBC HISTORY

26 WORLD CHAMPIONS RECOGNIZED BY THE WBC

OF WHICH ONLY 6 HAVE REGAINED THEIR TITLE:

 

MUHAMMAD ALI (US) / MIKE TYSON (US) / LENNOX LEWIS (GB) / HASIM RAHMAN (US)

VITALY KLITSCHKO (UKRAINE) / DILLIAN WHYTE (GB)

 

128 HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE FIGHTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC

 

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE BOUTS BY COUNTRY IN WBC HISTORY

 

USA                                94

GERMANY                     8

ENGLAND                      8

JAPAN                            3

RUSSIA                           2

WALES                           1

ZAIRE                            1

VENEZUELA                  1

SWITZERLAND              1

SOUTH AFRICA              1

PUERTO RICO                1

POLAND                         1

PHILIPPINES                  1

MEXICO                         1

MALASYA                      1

JAMAICA                       1

GIBRALTAR                   1

CANADA                         1

                                      TOTAL                 128

 

  

WBC TITLE BOUTS HELD IN ENGLAND

  

89 BOUTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN ENGLAND IN THE ENTIRE WBC HISTORY

  

THIS WILL BE THE 9th. WBC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE BOUT CELEBRATED IN ENGLAND IN ALL WBC HISTORY.

  

BREAKDOWN BY DIVISION:

 

 

SUPERMIDDLE               21

1. HEAVY 10

HEAVY                             8

WELTER                          8

FEATHER                         8

FLY                                   8

CRUISER                          6

LIGHT                              6

MIDDLE                           4

SUPERLIGHT                  4

SUPERWELTER              3

SUPERBANTAM              2

SUPERFEATHER             1

TOTAL BOUTS       89

                                         

WBC HEAVYWEIGHT MEMORABLES FIGHTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC

 

21/05/1966       MUHAMMAD ALI – HENRY COOPER                                      TKO 6                            LONDON

10/12/1968       JOE FRAZIER – OSCAR BONAVENA                                        DEC 15                          PHILADELPHIA.

08/03/1971       JOE FRAZIER – MUHAMMAD ALI                                            DEC 15                          NEW YORK

30/10/1974       MUHAMMAD ALI – GEORGE FOREMAN                               KO 8                               KINSHASA

01/10/1975       MUHAMMAD ALI – JOE FRAZIER                                            TKO 15                          MANILA

09/06/1978       LARRY HOLMES – KEN NORTON                                             DEC 15                          LAS VEGAS

28/09/1979       LARRY HOMES – EARNIE SHAVERS                                       TKO 11                          LAS VEGAS

02/10/1980       LARRY HOLMES – MUHAMMAD ALI                                     TKO 11                          LAS VEGAS

11/04/1981       LARRY HOLMES – TREVOR BERBICK                                   DEC 15                          LAS VEGAS

22/03/1986       TREVOR BERBICK – PINKLON THOMAS                              DEC 12                          LAS VEGAS

11/02/1990       JAMES DOUGLAS – MIKE TYSON                                            KO 10                             TOKYO

18/03/1991       MIKE TYSON – DONOVAN RUDDOCK (ELIM.)                   TKO 7                            LAS VEGAS

08/05/1993       LENNOX LEWIS – TONY TUCKER                                            DEC 12                          LAS VEGAS

02/09/1995       FRANK BRUNO – OLIVER MCCALL                                        DEC 12                          LONDON

19/03/1999       LENNOX LEWIS – EVANDER HOLYFIELD                            DRAW 12                     NEW YORK

22/04/2001       HASIM RAHMAN – LENNOX LEWIS                                        KO 5                               BRAKPAN

17/11/2001       LENNOX LEWIS – HASIM RAHMAN                                        KO 4                               LAS VEGAS

08/06/2002       LENNOX LEWIS – MIKE TYSON                                                KO 8                               MEMPHIS

21/06/2003       LENNOX LEWIS – VITALI KLITSCHKO                                  TKO 6                            LOS ANGELES

24/04/2004       VITALI KLITSCHKO – CORRIE SANDERS                             KO 8                               LOS ANGELES

18/03/2006       HASIM RAHMAN – JAMES TONEY                                           DREW 12                      ATLANTIC CITY

08/03/2008       SAMUEL PETER – OLEG MASKAEV                                       TKO 6                            CANCUN

11/10/2008       VITALI KLITSCHKO – SAMUEL PETER                                 TKO 9                            BERLIN

17/01/2015       DEONTAY WILDER – BERMANE STIVERNE                       UD 12                             LAS VEGAS

16/01/2016       DEONTAY WILDER – ARTUR SZPILKA                                 KO 9                               BROOKLYN

03/03/2018       DEONTAY WILDER – LUIS ORTIZ                                           TKO 10                          BROOKLYN

09/10/2021       TYSON FURY – DEONTAY WILDER                                        KO 11                             LAS VEGAS