I already did my fair bit of bashing on Saturday night when I posted my Klitschko vs Fury Full Report, so I’m not going to repeat it all again. This was a bitter-sweet showdown if ever there was one. Bitter because it was a lackluster affair between two big punching Heavyweights stuck in ‘cautious jabbing mode’, and sweet because the Klitschko reign finally ended.
Not that I have any beef with ‘Dr Steelhammer’. Far from it. But it was about time the torch was passed on to a younger (certainly more charismatic) fighter, and I’ve no problem with that man being the outspoken Fury. Reviled or revered, boxing fans are going to lap this guy up, I’m sure.
Luckily HBO cameras did manage to catch some form of entertainment, albeit of the singing variety post-fight:
OK, since this is a review piece, I guess I’ll touch more on the fight. Klitschko vs Fury wasn’t the worst Heavy dustup of all time (that probably belongs to Jonathan Banks vs Seth Mitchell II), but it was pretty dire stuff. And if it weren’t for Fury at least pulling off the upset, I believe this would’ve been known as ‘Mayweather vs Pacquiao II’ – it was a major 2015 attraction, and one UK fans had to cough up £16.95 for, after all.
Both men were just so disappointing, landing a mere 23% of their total punches (according to CompuBox). Klitschko connected with 52 out of 231, and Fury an equally unimpressive 86 in 371. Yes, these guys, a supposedly hungry challenger and proud defending champion, were astoundingly cautious. What a snooze-fest!
There’s a lot of people out there who believe Fury (25-0, 18 KO) bamboozled Klitschko (64-4, 53 KO), that the Brit nullified Klitschko’s offense, and that Klitschko simply turned old overnight. I agree with them to an extent, but really I just think both men failed to deliver the goods. In a fight which saw Klitschko land an average of less than 6 punches per round, ‘Dr Steelhammer’ really has no one to blame but himself for ending his 22-fight winning streak.
The same scoring system applies to every fight in professional boxing, be it a championship or non-title bout. But when a 10-year-reigning, multi-belted champ loses it all in a glorified sparring match, it really does leave a bitter taste in one’s mouth. Yes, Klitschko’s reign is over, based on scores of 115-112 (twice) and 116-111, but fans deserved to see a lot more from Fury who, ironically, near enough mirrored Klitschko’s form, a fighting style he’s labeled as boring and tepid for years.
Rant over, what’s next for both men? Personally, I’m not too fussed as long as it’s not a rematch (I’m trying to blank out the fact there was a ‘sequel clause’ in the contract). Though I’d rather see Klitschko retire, I think he still has enough in the tank to fight for a short while longer. As for Fury, I’ve no doubt he’ll put on more of a show in his next outing, whoever that may be. If you’ve nothing better to do, you can catch the post-fight press conference here.
Chime in with your thoughts on Klitschko vs Fury, fight fans. What’s your take on the fight, the scores, the beginning of what looks to be a new era of Heavyweights, plus Tyson Fury’s next move. Is Klitschko vs Fury II next, or will Fury embark on a fringe contender chasing spree like WBC champ Deontay Wilder?
