I HAVE always admired ESPN?s Dan Rafael. Working as I do for the world?s longest-running boxing publication, the magazine I read every week as a kid, his is one of the few jobs I look at and think, ?Damn, that looks like fun.? Rafael has always been reliable, incisive and forthright, qualities I respect and seek to emulate. So it is a sign either of my growing maturity or indeed stupidity that I feel ready and inclined to take him on. In a purely intellectual sense of course.
In one of his recent ? usually excellent ? blogs, Rafael made some brief, rather flippant comments about unbeaten Manchester heavyweight Tyson Fury, who will co-headline the September 10 ShoBox event at London?s York Hall.
To begin with Rafael described Fury as ?overhyped?. ?Fair comment,? most observers would doubtless remark ? the publicity machine driven mainly by Tyson?s promoter Mick Hennessy and the giant heavyweight himself is so overworked it must need regular servicing. But as the lofty Fury is the closest thing ? physically ? we have to the Klitschkos (at least until David Price advances to title level) and possesses very fast hands and impressive technical skills for such a big man, perhaps he deserves a fair amount of hype. My main qualm with Rafael?s choice of adjective however was that it was the only one he employed. Fury is ?unbeaten?, ?talented?, ?cocky?, even ?tall? or ?Mancunian?, but for Rafael, and consequently for his readers, Tyson is simply ?overhyped?. That is all Dan?s readers would have discovered about ShoBox?s forthcoming co-headline act.
What bothered me far more was Rafael?s parting shot, the very last line of the blog. Describing Fury?s potential opponent for the York Hall 10-rounder, Dan cautioned his loyal followers not to, ?Expect anyone too tough?. Now not only was Rafael almost immediately proved wrong when the skilled and durable Jason Gavern was announced as Fury?s foe ? the American recently drew with good Kronk man Johnathon Banks and beat Manuel Quezada who gave Chris Arreola a few problems (albeit not many) earlier this month ? but anyone who has followed Fury?s career knows the 11-0 (9) English champion has not had it easy.
Fury took on the 21-3 (20) Marcel Zeller in just his second fight. The German was overrated and well outsized but it was still a refreshing choice of opponent given his impressive KO-filled record. Fury next took on Russian journeyman Daniel Peret, the George ?The Animal? Steele lookalike who had previously ended the unbeaten records of Scott Belshaw and Larry Olubamiwo, not to mention taken Tyson?s big domestic rival Dereck Chisora the eight-round distance in his last fight. Fury got him out of there in two, officially on cuts but the Trondheim-based ?Shrek? was coming apart. Fury remains the only Brit (out of seven) to defeat the tough Peret inside the distance.
In his sixth contest Fury destroyed the aforementioned Belshaw, still an impressive 10-1 and who had avenged the sole defeat, in two rounds.
But surely the most astonishing example of Fury and his team?s bravery and confidence came when he agreed to meet John McDermott, a three-time British title challenger who had twice pushed Danny Williams to the limit, for the vacant English belt in bout No. 8. Sure, the Board ordered the match but Fury could have withdrawn from the purse bids. Instead Fury travelled to his opponent?s locale on his rival?s promoter?s show and took the title on points, going past four rounds for the first time in the hardest fight of his life. Granted, many observers felt he was fortunate to get the decision but the salient point remains the big risk Fury took.
Three fights later, to clear up the controversy, Fury met McDermott again, once more on an ?away? show promotionally and in John?s Essex stronghold for a second time. Despite splitting with trainer Brian Hughes just weeks before the rematch, Fury showed hitherto unseen heart and guts to defeat McDermott more convincingly the second time, in the process becoming only the second man to stop him genuinely. That was Fury?s 10th fight as a pro.
You can call Tyson Fury many derogatory things: arrogant, stubborn, contrary and brash. But protected? Not in a million years. I may never again disagree with Rafael but on this one occasion, Dan, your implication was ill-informed and unfair. Until next time…
