FURY VS. WHYTE

Hi Doug,

Hope you, the family and team are kept safe and well.

Finally it’s here! Been looking forward to this for ages. 94,000 screaming British boxing fans at Wembley. It doesn’t get much bigger than that. Will you make it over for the tea and crumpets?

First of all I’d like to quote a tweet you shared today “Before a CIVIL WAR starts and people start wanting to kill each other. Newsflash. It’s ok to like Bud & Errol. It’s ok to think both are great fighters” (from Stephen Edwards @BreadmanBoxing) and “Thank you, Bread. (This goes for Canelo and GGG, too)” (from yourself). IMHO I’m a fan of both Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte and view them as both top heavyweights of the current crop. Aside from boxing these two are sort of the anti-heros of the elite of the division. What I mean is AJ and Wilder were sort of the “poster boys” of the division (more AJ than Wilder). AJ the Olympic hero with the polished media training and Wilder the American WBC champion visiting he White House. Dillian was painted as “Dillian the Villain” from day one. He was brilliant in the build of for the AJ fight. Fury coming from the traveler community in the U.K. faced some serious racism in the boxing and media establishments. But both have developed a massive fan base based on positivity, climbing the ladder “the hard way” and great fights. The heavyweight landscape would be very much more dull without them.

Right to the fight itself:

What do you make of Dillian’s silence? I get all the reasons why Dillian isn’t playing ball, but has it turned into a tactic which will affect the fight? It certainly has ruffled Uncle Bob’s and Frank Warren’s feathers. Has it bothered Fury? I think the silence and constant media questioning of it to Fury has got to him. Along with all the questions about Daniel Kinahan-Fury seems a lot more sober when compared to previous outings. Do you think it will hinder him in the fight?

My 2 cent’s worth on how the fight goes:

With Fury I’m gonna be a bit harsh here, but looking back at recent opposition, it’s not that impressive. And yes let me address Wilder. Wilder has an impressive KO%, but against who? Wilder’s CV when compared to Dillian’s is nowhere close, not Wilder’s fault, but his boxing record is padded with wins against lower level opponents. I appreciate the wins Fury has had over Wilder in exciting engagements but when considering Wilder’s record of opposition, it might not be worthy of all the high praise it’s received. Whyte on the other hand has consistently taken hard fight after hard fight and I have a feeling this will pay dividends against Fury. Additionally I don’t think Fury has faced a full on aggressive, durable, hard to push around fighter like Whyte. Yes he’s got two wins over Chisora, but that was a long time ago and dare I say it not the better version of Derek we have today.

In Fury’s favour is the way he has seemed to develop inside fighter skills since being trained by Sugar Hill. Let’s be honest, Fury was always quite a dirty fighter on the inside but in the 3rd Wilder fight he showed some good ability to nullify and punish Wilder up close. Dillian can’t hang on the outside with Fury due to Fury’s height and reach advantage but I don’t think he’ll have an easy time up close either.

How am I calling it? Going with Whyte to win in a stoppage between rounds 9-11. I think his constant pressure will end up being too much for Fury to handle. How you calling it?

If the flight plays out as I suggest, which is really the case, it opens up an interesting route to undisputed. Let’s assume Whyte also wins a rematch and is then on course to fight the Usyk/AJ winner. AJ seems to be making the same noises about trying to box Usyk in the rematch, and if he tries to box the boxer again, I think we’ll have a repeat. In which case we’ll end up with Usyk Vs Whyte for the undisputed. I’d favour Whyte in that match up based on how Usyk got on against Chisora. I think Dillian would do the same but to better effect.

Interesting times ahead. I just hope we get the fights with no further obstructions. Keep up the good work. – Tabraze, London

It’s way too soon for us to be talking about the Usyk-Joshua rematch, let alone an eventual Whyte-vs.-Usyk showdown for the undisputed championship. They gotta fight the fights first, and as you noted, both Fury and Whyte will have their hands full on Saturday – which is awesome. If 94,000 fans are going to fill Wembley Stadium, they should be treated to a special fight. I think we’ll get one (that or a very special performance). 

We’ve got the biggest and most versatile heavyweight vs. the most battle-tested (and deserving) contender. Both bigmen are talented and skilled and both have mettle – they’ve been in dogfights, they’ve gotten up from knockdowns and they bounced back from setbacks (in the ring and in life). I’m thinking this matchup gives us a little bit of everything, but I’m going with the chalk and picking Fury to win on points. I think he knows how to use his height and reach advantage to outpoint and outmaneuver Whyte from a distance, and (as you’ve noted) he’s learned the Kronk-trained heavyweight style of mauling and leaning on smaller opponents on the inside. I think Fury knows (or will figure out) how to negate Whyte’s strengths from any distance, and will gradually break him down, but Whyte’s heart and formidable tools (body attack, hooks and haymakers) will keep him in the fight and make for high drama. 

94,000 screaming British boxing fans at Wembley. It doesn’t get much bigger than that. Will you make it over for the tea and crumpets? No, but The Ring is in the good hands of Managing Editor Tom Gray, who will be on press row.

What do you make of Dillian’s silence? Personally, it was disappointing. I was looking forward to both heavyweights’ bright personalities being on display and at odds during the buildup to this fight, but it didn’t happen. At least we’re getting the fight. I don’t think Whyte’s silence will have any psychological effect on Fury or impact on the fight (other than help him carry a steely focus into the ring – but it doesn’t seem like Fury’s trying to get into his head anyway).

Has it bothered Fury? I don’t think anything can bother Fury. 

I think the silence and constant media questioning of it to Fury has got to him along with all the questions about Daniel Kinahan – Fury seems a lot more sober when compared to previous outings. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. 

Do you think it will hinder him in the fight? Not at all.

With Fury I’m gonna be a bit harsh here, but looking back at recent opposition, it’s not that impressive. Whyte has faced more top-10 contenders, and that’s why he’ll present a stern challenge, but Fury has evolved into something special during his three bouts with Wilder. The form and style he had pre-Wilder (and during the first bout) would have been a big handful for Whyte (or any other heavyweight), but his current Sugar Hill/Kronk technique makes him more of a physical threat than ever. 

Whyte on the other hand has consistently taken hard fight after hard fight and I have a feeling this will pay dividends against Fury. Maybe. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility. Even Fury says the 7-1 odds in his favor are ridiculous. He knows Whyte’s the real deal. But at some point a battle-tested fighter can become “battle-worn.” Whyte has a lot of hard rounds under his belt and those rough experiences may have begun to take a toll on his body. We’ll see.

Additionally I don’t think Fury has faced a full on aggressive, durable, hard to push around fighter like Whyte. I think Wilder counts. 

Yes he’s got two wins over Chisora, but that was a long time ago and dare I say it not the better version of Derek we have today. I think Fury would handle today’s version of Chisora just as soundly as he did in their 2014 rematch.

CHOCOLATITO, GGG, FURY AND STEVENSON

Hi Dougie, I hope you and your family are well:) glad the mailbag is back, boxing is real good these days and your mailbag has always been kind of my “online barbershop” to rap about this crazy sport.

Our guys Choco and GGG were both devastating in their last outings. I thought Roman looked pretty much flawless, his balance and sense of range allowing him to get off a mind boggling amount of combinations, all the while staying defensively tight and secure. I think young fighters can learn so much from watching that little dude work. As for GGG, once he was jolted awake by Murata’s fierce attack I thought he looked technical and terrifying. This may be quite a nerdy reference, but this version of GGG reminds me of the assassin droid IG-11 from The Mandalorian; when you first meet the droid, his reputation doesn’t seem to match his stiff, rusty, battered frame. But in one of the last episodes a shootout breaks out, and you see IG-11 go into action: he moves in a stiff slow manner, but his turrets revolve with rote precision as he takes out everyone around him with a cold, absolute savagery. It’s a great scene, and it occurred to me as GGG really began to open up on Murata–the piston jab, doubling up on the left hook, guiding him into the uppercut, the howitzer of a right hand that finished the fight–GGG is like a vintage assassin droid who’s still got it once the gears start turning.

As for the upcoming fights, we have two of the best defensive fighters in the sport on deck in Shakur and Fury. I expect them to both win their fights. Shakur is not the most fun to watch, but I think he deserves credit for “professionalizing” his game since he joined the pro ranks and for continuing to improve. He’s putting more mustard on his punches and he’s becoming more adept and fighting on the inside and getting some respect in the pocket. Obviously his best qualities are his jab and footwork, but a great fighter needs to be dynamic. Part of what made Floyd great was his sometimes overlooked ability to tough it out on the inside, to still be hard to hit in the pocket, be able to make his opponent “feel him” and just give a different look in the fight.

As for the Fury vs Whyte fight, I hope Whyte has trained his ass off and comes in looking to put the hurt on Fury. He can’t beat Fury on points so he needs to whip his body shots into Fury’s soft midsection, then at some point start whipping that left hook upstairs to try to catch Fury on his elusive chin. If Whyte settles for boxing with Fury or accepts the clinch in close with him too readily this could end up being a dreadful, sorry ass affair. – Jack

If Whyte settles for boxing or has no answer for Fury’s inside tactics, he’s getting outclassed and beat down. I think his hook upstairs is his best weapon vs. Fury (who might try to negate this weapon by boxing southpaw) and a body attack is always a good idea, but I think Fury’s midsection is resilient despite its soft appearance. Anyway, I agree with you that Whyte needs to start fast and carry a take-no-prisoner attitude into the ring if he really wants to pull the upset. 

We have two of the best defensive fighters in the sport on deck in Shakur and Fury. I expect them to both win their fights. Me too.

Stevenson displayed elite-level skills in his biggest fight. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Getty Images)

Shakur is not the most fun to watch, but I think he deserves credit for “professionalizing” his game since he joined the pro ranks and for continuing to improve. He’s definitely grown into his “man strength” and he’s sitting down more on his punches. He’s filled out so much and looked so strong and sharp vs. Jamel Herring, I wouldn’t count him out against any of the top lightweights even though he’s yet to have his first bout at 135 pounds. 

Our guys Choco and GGG were both devastating in their last outings. It’s a pleasure and an honor to witness future hall of famers expertly apply their craft vs. quality opposition, even though they’re both well past their primes. The fact that they’re both still world class (and have both been world class for more than 10 years) lets us know how special they are. 

I thought Roman looked pretty much flawless, his balance and sense of range allowing him to get off a mind boggling amount of combinations, all the while staying defensively tight and secure. He’s a miracle. He came back from a devastating KO loss, regained his form despite so many tough battles, and continues to be an elite-level technician who happens to be a relentless-but-accurate volume/combination puncher. Only Errol Spence comes close to matching his engine and surgical punch output. 

As for GGG, once he was jolted awake by Murata’s fierce attack I thought he looked technical and terrifying. Here’s the thing about Golovkin that more than few fans miss – he’s doing damage to his opponents even before he’s fully warmed up and in his GGGroove. I thought the opening round vs. Murata was even, and the Japanese star clearly won Rounds 2 and 3, but Golovkin dished out his share of punishment in those nine minutes that began to take a toll as he began to regain his devastating form.  

This may be quite a nerdy reference, but this version of GGG reminds me of the assassin droid IG-11 from The Mandalorian; when you first meet the droid, his reputation doesn’t seem to match his stiff, rusty, battered frame. But in one of the last episodes a shootout breaks out, and you see IG-11 go into action: he moves in a stiff slow manner, but his turrets revolve with rote precision as he takes out everyone around him with a cold, absolute savagery. I’ve seen the scene, which is awesome, and “assassin droid” is a pretty apt description of GGG when he’s in full attack mode (even when he’s got some rust).

THE RING IS “SPECIAL”

Good evening Dougie Fresh. It’s been a while since I have written to “the bag”. I would like to mention how much I enjoy reading The Ring special issues. I would also like to make a few suggestions for future Specials.

1. The light heavyweight warriors of the late 70s and early 80s. Prior to Michael Spinks taking over the light heavyweight division in 1981, it was known for brutally spectacular TV wars that were partially responsible for boxing’s popularity during that era. The battles between Matthew Saad Muhammad, Yaqui Lopez, Dwight Muhammad Quai, Marvin Johnson, Victor Galindez, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and others were routinely of Fight of the Year quality. Just imagine an Arturo Gatti fight on regular TV every weekend.
2. The 3 Amigos. From the 90s into the 2000s Mexican compatriots Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Juan Manuel Marquez displayed a great round robin series along with the legendary Manny Pacquiao that was absolute must see TV. I like to take credit for the moniker “3 Amigos” citing their Hispanic heritage. This triumvirate produced a number of matchups of skill, aggression, heart, fire, power, etc that landed or will land all 3 in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Between them there were 8 fights against Pac Man. The great Filipino had a record of 5, 2, and 1 against “the amigos” all of which were awesomely entertaining.
3. The U.S. Olympic team of 1984. Coached by the great Pat Nappi, the U.S. Olympic team of 1984 was perhaps the greatest collection of amateur boxers ever. Winning 9 gold medals, 1 silver, and 1 bronze, the team produced 3 sure fire hall of famers, Evander Holyfield, Virgil Hill, and Pernell Whitaker; world champions, Mark Breland, Frank Tate, and Meldrick Taylor, and talented underachievers Paul Gonzales, Steve McCrory, Tyrell Biggs, and Henry Tillman. The team was largely responsible for the popularity of boxing for years to come. This special might have to be a double issue. And how about special guest columnist and 2 time world champion Mark Breland. One can only wonder how this great team would have fared had it not been for the Olympic boycott of the Soviet Union and Cuba.

Keep up the great work with The Ring Specials and of course the weekly mailbags. – Todd Elliot, Brooklyn, NY

Those are all great ideas for future special issues, Todd. Thank you for the kind words and for these suggestions. The super-talented U.S. Olympic Squad’s success in the Los Angeles Games was a big part of boxing’s popularity during the 1980s. Some of them – mainly Breland – were stars even before their pro debuts (in fact, the Brooklyn native graced the cover of Ring Magazine before his first pro start), while others, as you know, went on to become hall of farmers and all-time greats.  

A special on the Golden Age of the light heavyweight division would be a lot of fun to produce, especially because we’d get to dig deep into the archives of not only The Ring but of KO Magazine, which chronicled those epic rivalries and fight-series at 175 pounds, and reprint some of the classic photos, fight reports, and Q&A features.

The great Mexican trio of Barrera, Morales and Marquez might be the most marketable of your three ideas because all three are alive and healthy, and could help contribute to the special issue with exclusive interviews looking back on their rise and battles with each other (and Manny Pacquiao, of course – hey, maybe we could get Senator PacMan to pen the Foreword!). It also wouldn’t be as much of a challenge to find writers who covered their careers as it would be to find journalists who were around during the heydays of the light heavyweight badasses and the ’84 Squad (although I can think of a few perfect candidates for both subjects). 

Hopefully, we’ll be around long enough to get to these subjects and several more. There are as many potential special issues of The Ring as there are great fighters and iconic fights and eras. 

Email Fischer at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter and IG at @dougiefischer, and join him, Tom Loeffler, Coach Schwartz and friends via Tom’s or Doug’s IG Live every Sunday.

 

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