By Gabriel Princewill-
Tyson Fury cannot be the greatest heavyweight fighter of all times without unifying the division. Such a claim would be unmeritorious in light of available facts in the context of boxing history.
The gypsy king, who remains undefeated after his devastating knockout of Dillian Whyte last month has seen his reputation grow exponentially since his first defeat of Deontey Wilder in February 2020.
Preceding that comprehensive defeat was an impressive controversial draw against Wilder- a massive punching Alabama native , following a remarkable recovery from a devastating 11 round knockdown in Los Angelis in 2018.
Fury that night sealed his reputation as the best of his generation by repeating the conquest in October after a thrilling 11 round war with the former WBC king Wilder, who fought valiantly in an attempt to regain the world title belt he lost earlier that year. His earnest efforts to recapture his former glory was palpable, but Fury’s resilience and natural attributes proved too much in their final decider. Fury made his name with that second emphatic victory, achieved after a true battle.
However, unless Fury reverses his decision and takes on and defeats the winner of Anthony Joshua and Olegsander Usyk in the summer, his name will not be secure in the history books as the greatest of his time. without being highly contentious.
Throughout history, great fighters are known to have taken on the very best of their time, without ducking or being seen to be ducking any challenges out there.
By Fury’s own admission, ‘every dog has its day”, an indication that our current heavyweight champion wants to avoid the risk of defeat whilst simultaneously enjoying the highest accolades in boxing. It amounts to eating his cake and having it.
Rated the best in the division, Fury’s dominance is premised on his defeat of two notable champions in his time- Wladimir Klitschko and Deontey Wilder. But those compelling victories are not enough to establish him as the best in history. Of his own generation, he can wear the crown of being the accepted as the best , but not of demonstrating this fact to the best of the rest standing one standing.
Tyson Fury beats Deontey Wilder to retain Wbc belt in October 2021
Fury’s stated claim to have children he needs to raise is as legitimate as one any boxer can make, cannot in itself qualify him for the position of greatest of all times. It is imperative such an accolade is earned to every last degree. It would require unifying the belts and probably defending it against the next potent heavyweight out there.
Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Mohammed Ali, and all the greats of old, took risky fights up until their retirement. They were all beaten, but came back to regain their titles at a future point in their careers.Fury lost to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, and avenged both losses. Mohammed Ali lost the heavyweight titles, and regained them three times. Mike Tyson regained the Wbc title from Frank Bruno after being jailed, to become two time world champion.
After his release from prison in 1995, following a conviction of rape, the then baddest man on the planet engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 , thereby joining join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it.
Mike Tyson beats Frank Bruno to regain Wbc title Image?ringtv.com
The accomplishments of the greats of old necessarily provides a benchmark against which to measure . An undefeated record for a retired world champion can only have its highest place in the legacy of the record holder, where they have taken on and defeated the best opposition available during their career.
In no era off boxing has subjective perceptions been a substitute for factual accomplishments. Tyson Fury is an unbeaten world heavyweight champion, but he has not unified the division to lay a legitimate claim to being an all time great. Contrary to his claim, he still has a little bit to prove for posterity, even if he strongly believes his commitments to his family do not permit it.
In the event of a masterful comeback by Anthony Joshua this summer, Fury will be unable to avoid the big punching Londoner, notwithstanding the two blips on his fighting record.
Fury, who will remembered as the best of his time, should he retire now, will still have those who can legitimately say that he did not prove it against Usyk or Joshua, since whomever emerges victorious in their rematch fight will have a shout to some form of greatness in that scenario,
In the event of a victorious return for Joshua, the Londoner will become a third time heavyweight champ , having recovered from two defeats on his record, and could even look menacing in his return victory. Such a victory will leave Fury statistically unfulfilled. even with his expressed warming sentiments to want to focus on rearing his beloved children.
Impressive return by Joshua against Fury will challenge Fury’s claims of greatness Image:Skysports,com
Boxing is perennially bound by the holistic perspective of its expert scribes when credibly evaluating champions and their place in history. The accomplishments of is relative to their contemporaries, and is assessible on real factual terms .
It was only after Fury defied all odds in ending the 11 year unbeaten run of Wladimir Klitschko in his own backyard in Germany, that people began to sit up a bit and take serious note. Few had predicted the emphatic win for Fury who up until then was just a loudmouth tedious performer, with very little prospects if ever becoming heavyweight champion.
His lacklustre performances before he became undisputed world champion did little to support both his boasts and those of his avid supporting father that he would amount to anything notable in the heavyweight division.
But beating Klitschko, albeit towards the end of the latter’s career, raised eye brows a bit. After his three year hiatus, he then puts up that impressive performance against Wilder, with just two unimpressive warm up fights under his belt. Progressing to defeat Deontey Wilder twice confirmed him as the world’s best at the moment. That’s still theoretical and strictly in accordance with ratings and results.
Usyk could legitimately make similar claims if he wins the rematch against Joshua this summer, and even with all the faith in the world that Tyson Fury would beat Usyk, it has not been proven. Fury, sure seems serious about retiring, but his dad ought to call him into a room with curtains closed, and give him an old fashion lecture. It may or may not work.
Fury’s last words about his retirement were made to Piers Morgan,
“This is the truth, the gospel truth, nothing but the truth – I’m done,” Fury told Piers Morgan. “Every good dog has its day and like the great Roman leader said, there will always be somebody else to fight. When is enough enough? I’m happy, I’m healthy, I’ve still got my brains and I can still talk. I’ve got a beautiful wife, six kids, I’ve got umpteen belts, plenty of money, success, fame, glory – what more am I doing it for?
“Boxing is a very dangerous sport. You can be taken out with one punch as we’ve seen on Saturday and it’s one unlucky blow and you may not get up off that canvas. I’m quitting while I’m ahead, I’m undefeated and only the second man in history to retire as undefeated heavyweight champion. I’m very, very happy with what I have achieved”.
The danger of the sport of boxing is precisely why boxing fans want to remember people for what they really achieved, not what they want people to believe they achieved.
Fury will be remembered as the best of his time if he goes today, but many will legitimate dispute him being the greatest of all times, when there are a still a one or two big names to officially silence.
Some critics believe Fury should even be at least defending his tile against one or two more opponents, to have any claim to being the greatest of all times.
Outspoken boxing critic, Danny Benn, brother of former wold champion, Nigel Benn, said: ”I think Tyson Fury has proven that he is the best of his time, but he must remember that this is on wide consensus. He has not unified the belts, and that’s got to be important in history.
Boxing Critic: Danny Benn Image: supplied
‘Even then, I would imagine you would defend it against at least two or three of the best available after that. You can’t claim to be the greatest of all times, taking the minimum risks. Beating Wilder and Klitschko speaks volumes, but there is still Joshua or Usyk, and even the likes of unbeaten Joe Joyce, because he has looked reasonably solid so far”.
Ben, who is a big fan of his brother , Nigel Benn, and his nephew, Connor Benn, believes all boxers should look seek to emulate former world champions who were well respected for their achievements in the ring.
”To be the best, you got to take on the best available and not leave it down to popular opinion”.