Fury ready to rule the world
by Jonny Stapleton
Politics mau have denied Tyson Fury the chance to win Olympic Gold for Ireland, but he is adamant nothing will stop him winning world honours for the country.
The British and Commonwealth champion, who couldn’t to prove his Irish roots in his amateur days, plans to bring the biggest of the big men to Croke Park if he beats Nicolai Firtha in the Kings Hall tonight.
Standing at six foot six there are not much taller than the American champion bar the Kiltchko brothers, who more importantly are greater in prestige and hold all of the significant heavyweight world titles.
The fighter, who got his name because if his Dad’s love for all time great Mike Tyson, wants to break up the Klitchko monopoly and will be seeking a fight with one of the big Ukrainians over the next 12 months.
“I believe I am the man to stop the Klitcshko’s. When I win this fight I will be looking to fight either of them. Why not. One of my dreams is to fight in Croke Park and I would love to win a world title in Ireland,” Fury explained.
“I have a good opponent tonight. I’m happy it wasn’t just some big fat Bulgarian. This fella is the champion of America so it will be a stiff test. If I get through this then the sky is the limit – Klitchko’s I’m coming.”
Promoter Mick Hennessy believes Fury will start a journey towards a showdown with either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko in 2012 tonight.
Fury watched the WBC World heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko easily retain his title against Poland’s Tomasz Adamek at the weekend and the promoter says the Irishman is the one man who can end the World domination of the Klitschkos.
“Everyone in boxing must know now that the only man who can beat the Klitschkos is Tyson Fury. Tyson is a modern day heavyweight, he’s 6ft 9′ but he also has the speed, the heart, the hunger, the chin and the power to beat either one of them,” Hennessy said.
“I think 2012 is going to be the year that the World heavyweight division is turned upside down by Tyson Fury. He didn’t get to box for Ireland at the Olympics in 2008 because of boxing politics but there would be no better way for him to give something back to the Irish fans who are now right behind him than to win the World heavyweight title at Croke Park.
“We have total respect for the Klitschkos because they have proven themselves to be true warriors and the best in the division since Lennox Lewis retired but now they must realise that there’s a new kid on the block and he’s coming to rule the heavyweight division and his name is Tyson Fury.”
Realistically Fury, a cousin of Irish middleweight contender Andy Lee, will have to wait for his chance to claim boxing’s biggest prize. He is just 23 and might need a fight or two before taking on the only brothers to share division unification. And it seems Tyson Fury could have those fights and subsquently more Irish shows than singer Finbarr Furry between now and the end of the year.
“Hopefully I get over this fight because I want to get back over here in November for another fight. If this all goes well I will be back for another big fight against maybe the European champion Dimitrenko or someone like that.”
