At the Esprit Arena, Dusseldorf, Tyson Fury defied expectations, and just about everyone’s predictions. The brash Brit outpointed reigning IBF, WBO, WBA Heavyweight champ, Wladimir Klitschko, winning on fair scores of 115-112 (twice) and 116-111. Boxing Base saw it 115-112, taking an 11th round point deduction into account (Fury for hitting behind the head).
First off, congratulations to Fury. A lot of analysts and fans wrote him off prior to the fight, including myself. Fury took Klitschko’s titles, got the win, so end of story.
Well, sort of…
Fury beat the man at the top of the mountain, sure, but this was a close, close fight. And more than anything, dull for the most part. After all of Fury’s endless criticism of Klitschko prior to the fight, most of us were expecting Fury to throw punches in bunches, dazzle us, and even crush the champion, as he’d told media cameras a thousand times.
But on fight night, Fury fought just like the man he’d been playing mind games with during the build up. Klitschko vs Fury was a slow burning, safety first, tentative, battle of the jabs affair. Sure, both men began taking some moderate chances in the 11th and 12th rounds, but they also clinched the hell out of one another.
Klitschko vs Fury was a dull encounter, indeed. And now that’s it’s all over, the drama, the action (?), everything just seems so forgettable and remarkably anticlimactic. All the talk, the singing, the changing of the gloves, the de-padding of the canvas, the re-wrapping of Klitschko’s hand wraps – all so we could see two Heavyweights scoring almost exclusively with jabs, afraid to let their power shots go?
Call me a kill-joy. Call me what you like. But I don’t think either man was deserving of the IBF, WBA, WBO straps tonight. The most entertaining part of the fight was…well, actually after the final bell when Fury serenaded the audience. And that’s really saying something.
Anyway, Fury now improves to 25 wins, no defeats, 18 knockouts, while Klitschko falls to 64 wins, 4 defeats, 53 knockouts. Give us your take on Klitschko vs Fury in the comments, plus the rest of the card.
Hey Mark,
The fight didnt go against my prediction. I said exactly what will happen remember. This is what I wrote on your previous article:
I believe Fury will win though. Fury has unshakeable belief and confidence. Also he doesnt fear losing. He doesnt see any shame in losing.
I believe at the least his bashful comments have played significantly on Klitschkos mind and I do see fear in the Klits eyes. Klitschko is in the sunset of his career. Regardless of anything he portrays to the public, he is and has been on the decline. Since the start of 2008, which is a couple months short of 10 years, Klitschko has had 15 fights.
NONE OF THOSE FIGHTERS HAVE BEEN AS YOUNG AS FURY AT THE TIME OF THE FIGHT AND ONLY TWO HAS BEEN UNDER 30 UNDER 30 at the time of fight. The list I made below shows age difference of Klits last 15 fights starting from 2008 till now
1)Sultan Ibragimov was 33; Klitscko was 32-one year in Klits favour.
2)Anthony Tyrone Thompson was 37, Klit was 32 – 5 years in Klits favour
3) Hasim Shariff Rahman was 36, Klit was 32 – 4 years in Klits favour
4) Ruslan Chagaev was 31, Klit was 33 – 2 years against Klit
5) Eddie Chambers was 28 and Klit was 34 – 6 years against Klit 6) Samuel Peter was 30, Klit was 34 – 4 year age gap against klit.
7) David Haye was 31, Klit was 35 – 4 years against Klit.
8) Jean-Marc Mormeck was 40, Klit was 36 – 4 years in Klits favour
9) Tony Thompson was 41, klit was 36 – 5 years in Klits favour 10)Mariusz Wach was 32, Klitschko was 26
11) Francesco Pianeta was 29, Klit was 36 – 7 years against Klit 12) Alexander Vladimirovich Povetkin was 34, Klit is 37 – 3 years against Klit.
13) Elise Leapai was 35, Klit was 38 – 3 years against Klit.
14) Kubrat Venkov Pulev was 34, Klit was 38
15) Bryant Antonio Jennings was 31, Klit was 39 – 8 year difference
As we can see the only two fighters that were under 30 were Francesco Pianeta and Eddie Chambers. Klit was a little young and the age difference at the time was only 6 and 7 years respectively. This is Klits youngest fighter since 2008, i havent looked before that at age differences because Klit was 32 himself and thats reasonably young. So the age gap wouldnt play a big part. This fight with fury sees Klit at his oldest and an age gap of 12 years, 4 months and 18 days. Thats the biggest gap by almost double since 2008.
Additionally Tyson Fury has a reach of 216 cm and is 6 foot 9. In the last 15 years he has not fought someone as tall or with a reach equal to Fury. I doubt he would have fought someone in his career with such reach or height, it is hard to verify because alot of his pre-2000 fights dont have too much of stats on the boxers. However definitely no one as tall as fury or with such a reach in the last 15 years!
As i said, you make some very good points but i think these are the points you missed. Whether the 12.5 year age difference, the fact that he is the olders he has been, or the fact that he has never fought such a tall fighter or a fighter with such a reach will make a difference i Dont know. I think Furys belief, his youth, his no fear of losing will give him the upper hand. I think Klitschko’s age and his fear of coming of his 10 year pedestal will be his ultimate downfall.
We could all agree that Klitschko’s major advantages in this fight is a) that he is more technically superior and b) that he has much more experience, and c) He definitely has more experience in the ‘big pressure fights as he has defended his title for so long.
With that being said I feel with Fury’s age and under the guidance of his coach Peter, he has improved dramatically in the last 3to 4 years. He is at that age where there are still significant improvements in his technique. This is just how Wlad became much more of a technical fighter and improved his game after his early career losses to Brewster, Sanders and purity.
With that being saidI think people underestimate Fury’s technical ability and speed. They are quick to label him as having fought nobody’s. His footwork in his last fight against Christian hammer was genius. He made it look easy, but it wasnt necessarily as easy at he made it look. The way he used his feet to get out of the corners, dance around hammer was fantastic. I believe he would have gotten significantly better since that and I think there will be a lot of suprises. His hand speed, even though lacking power was also tremendous.
I also think that YES, the diets these days, the advanced training regimes, the vitamins and the ‘vitamins’ will ensure that a boxer doesnt deteriorate as quick as they did in the late 30’s early 40’s as they did in years gone by. However, i still think there is a difference between looking good, being fit and being able to slug with the same intensity and absorb the same punishment as one did in their 20’s and one can do in their late 30’s, early 40’s. Klitschko played to his advantages very well in the last 10 years. after his losses to Sanders, Brewster and purity, he learned and practiced how to use distance and his reach very effectively. I think his jab shots were very effective against previous opponents as he had a reach advantage most of the time. By keeping upper body back and safe, he was able to break em down by sitting back, jabbing, softening them up and then coming in and smashing them. He won a lot of the early rounds like this against his other opponents and finsihed them off after this. I dont believe the same tactic will work against Fury. Fury with his hand speed, footwork and reach advantage will be able to keep Klitschkos jabs out, while being able to outscore him in those early rounds himself. I think Furys constant change of direction and jabbing will be unlike anything Wlad has faced. Nobody would have been able to pull it off like Fury could have due to reach advantage. I then think Wlad will have to take a few more chances between rounds 6 to 8 having realised he is being outboxed. Also he is going to be doing a lot of running around. I think between rounds 8 to 10 Fury will turn up the gas after he has softened Wlad up and Wlad will be running on tired legs by this point. Against Jennings Wlad was very flat footed. His technique and skill got him out of that, but its never a good sign for a fighter. Furys movement will expose Wlad’s flat feet.
I think Wlads best chance will be to do the unexpected and be aggressive in the first few rounds and to take Fury out early. I cant see him winning if he uses his usual stand back, jab jab.
and when i say stand back and jab technique that Wlad uses, i mean that although he is moving forward and bridging distance, his upper body always stays back in those early rounds. He is still able to appear like he is being the agressor early on but it is a passive agressive move. This is how he beat most of his opponents, including Jennings. Jennings tried to break down this tactic by Wlad too early and Wlad just picked him off very easily. Jennings tried to rush in and break through this wall. Fury wont make this mistake and his reach and height wont really allow him. This is why I say this is a very new fight for Klitschko because alot of the things he has done to win in the last 10 years will become unstuck. Fury is in the best position to Win for the following reasons:
1) He has had a better look at Wlad then any other fighter
2) He is fighting Wlad at Vlad’s oldest
3) He has a significant reach advantage.
4) Fury’s height advantage will increase Wlads reach disadvantage. Wlad sits at 206, fury at 216. thats 10 cm in a straight punch. At an upward angle you can add about 2 or 3 cm to that. Try this, stand against a wall with your arm outstetched and your fist clenched. Make sure elbow isnt bent. Raise your arm 8 to 10 cm. You will see that it no longer touches the wall. This is why Wlad will have a tougher time executing his usual tactics.
And full credit to you, Dan! Please tell me you placed a bet on that fight – the odds for a Fury decision must have been incredible. It was hard to call since Fury had never set foot in the ring with a true threat, but he did the business, albeit in dull fashion. Anyway, he won, defied the odds, and you called it. Congrats, Dan, and thanks for coming back to say ‘I told you so’!