BY GABRIEL PRINCEWILL
When Tyson Fury enters the ring to meet Wladimir Klitschko tonight, we will find out whether he is all he has built himself to be. Fury has talked the talk, now it is time to see if he can walk the walk. At 27, he is young and hungry. There is no doubt he will give it everything he has. The question is whether what he has is enough to topple the reigning King of the heavyweight division, or whether this opinionated challenger is nothing but hot air.
The unbeaten gypsy extrovert has exhibited plenty of insolence to the honorable Ukranian, making reference to his advancing age, to the extent of deriding him as ”an old man with grey hair like his(Fury’s) trainers. In the challengers own words, he will be ”a fraud” if he comes up short against a man who has gone unbeaten for a decade. Such is the supreme confidence of Fury that he palpably envisages only one outcome for this highly anticipated clash in Klitschko’s own territory. His emphatic re-iteration of Klitschko’s old age also provides some insight to the degree of pressure he aims to impose on the dignified champion in order to ”break him down” and ”knock him out”. Such eventuality will end the spell of dominance Klitschko has pronounced on what has been an ailing division for years, and introduce a brash young fighter to the world who seems to have no constraints on the words he utters.
Since Lennox Lewis vacated the WBC belt after a thrilling fight against Wladimir’s younger brother, Vitali in 2004, the sports premiere division has been devoid of formidable contenders and colorful characters. David Haye ignited the scene when he embarked on his mission to conquer the division, and managed to translate his World cruiser weight success into a version of its fullness at heavyweight. However, Wladimir Klitschko put an end to Haye’s glamorous campaign when the met in 2009 in Germany. Fury has been quick to point out that the disparity in size was a hindering factor for Haye which will be absent in this fight. He is right, but this does not mean he will emerge victorious. Klitschko is avowedly more powerful and more explosive than Fury is. Experience is also on his side. He is accustomed to victory at the highest level. Fury won’t phase him, but he knows his challenger is coming with a genuine intent on wresting the belts of him and taking them back to Britain. Should Fury succeed, it will be impossible to shut him up or persuade him to curtail the expression of his outrageous boasts and outlandish claims to greatness.
Fury indeed is an odd character with audacious tendencies and a fighting heart. On the one hand, he acts the clown who uses inflammatory language without restraint, and ostensibly has no bounds to his conduct. Crossing the line of ethics seems to be his modus operandi On the other hand, he professes to be devout Christian whose destiny is in the hands of ”the Lord”. He says he will rank among Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as a global superstar when he win, and adds that Klitschko is not known out of Germany.
“But me, for instance, when I beat him, I can be a global phenomenon because of my personality, my boxing style and the way I conduct myself.
“I could be one of the most famous sporting stars in the country – in the world”.
INDUSTRIOUS
Strange and unique in equal measure, Fury can be very industrious in the ring and has enough tenacity to sustain his fuel. His father, who also trains him will be in his corner. The circulating assertion that victory for Fury will be the biggest upset in history may well be misguided because the champion is gradually declining whilst Fury is not yet at his peak. Fury also has a two inch advantage and wider reach, enough to execute whatever venom he intends to unleash on his rival to seize the moment and make it his night. Klitschko, ofcourse, is the favourite to win, and is likely to be the emerging victor. He has told us his ego is his protector, so we can expect him to up his game tonight.
In summation, both fighters will have to fight the fight of their life tonight to have any chance of being victorious. We will see a more alert and lively Klitschko, and Fury will equally put on a show for the fans. I expect both fighters to err on the side of caution in the opening rounds, with Fury forcing a fight that culminates into an explosive affair. Klitschko has more power and as such is the likely winner of this clash of the giants, probably around the fifth round.
