Boxing
An interview with Forgotten Fury reveals the depth of his commitment to boxing and stewards
Published
6 months agoon
By
J. HumzaOf all the people who got up and sang a song at a Detroit karaoke bar that evening, the least likely was the 6-foot-9-inch British guy with saturated hair humming Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight.”
“Who is this recent kid?” someone asked Hall of Fame coach Emanuel Steward that night.
“He’s my next world champion,” replied Steward.
Comical how Tyson Fury had used the same words a few months earlier when – on the bold hunch that perhaps only a 21-year-old adventurer could do it – he thought, “I want to go to America and train with the best in the world, the greatest trainer, Emanuel Steward.”
Fury, then a 12-0 heavyweight, drove to Manchester airport in 2009, took a flight to Detroit, got in a taxi and found Steward’s famed Kronk Gym, asking an assistant, “Is Emanuel Steward here?”
“Who are you?” asked Steward’s assistant and nephew, Javan “SugarHill” Steward.
“I am the next heavyweight champion of the world, Tyson Fury,” Fury replied. – Emanuel is probably expecting me.
SugarHill called his uncle and said, “There’s some crazy-looking white guy here who says he’s going to be the heavyweight champion of the world.”
Emanuel The steward was at a restaurant a few miles away. He told SugarHill to send Fury his way, and they got along so well that Emanuel invited Fury to live with him, ordering a seven-foot bed and extending his scheduled two-week training session to four weeks.
Fury had spoken to Steward on the phone just a year or two earlier, when Steward cornered future Irish middleweight champion Andy Lee.
But Steward later told Fury about a trainer’s dream in which a elevated fighter walked into his gym, and Steward ended up training the fighter to ultimate glory.
“I never knew it would be British,” Steward told Fury.
Fury (34-0-1, 24 KO), now 35, is preparing for a feat beyond the bold aspirations he had when he met Steward as he heads into Saturday’s fight to be crowned the first undisputed champion of the four-belt era against Ukraine’s top three – heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KO) in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.
Fury’s trainer for this fight will be the assistant who first greeted him when he arrived at Kronk, Steward SugarHill.
The pair had worked together since before Fury’s stirring seventh-round knockout in 2020 of then-undefeated WBC champion Deontay Wilder, a redemptive victory that allowed Fury to regain the heavyweight title after doing so earlier in 2015 by defeating long-reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, who was trained by Emanuel Steward when Fury first met the trainer.
The mental health spiral that saw Fury briefly become suicidal and grow to over 400 pounds through a confrontation with food, alcohol and drugs sidelined the fighter for almost three years before he began his recovery and then in the first of the three, he famously rose from the canvas. meetings with Wilder to maintain the tie in 2018.
After winning the belt in the rematch, Fury had an hour-long video call on Zoom with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman.
By recreating this candid and forgotten conversation for this story, the depth of Fury’s determination to become champion was fully revealed.
Fury said he was very inspired by how Emanuel Steward embraced him and “trained me like a world champion” despite having only 12 fights in his career.
The Hall of Fame trainer, best known for shaping great champion Thomas Hearns and many others, eventually became an insightful fight analyst on HBO’s boxing coverage.
“He talked while he was bandaging my hands, he taught me the basics – working on my jab, my right hand, my left hook and my balance,” Fury said. “We talked a lot about boxing. I asked a lot of questions.”
Steward laughed as Fury rode his bike during sparring sessions with a group of welterweights at the Kronk gym, including Steve Forbes and Cornelius “K9” Bundrage, while gym veterans sat and watched, saying they would never do it. I saw something similar.
Fury heard: “This Brit is crazy, but he has rhythm.”
“It was like being in a movie with these guys, like the barbershop scene in ‘Coming to America.’ It was absolutely amazing, such an experience for a adolescent person – it was real work in a professional gym,” Fury told Sulaiman. “One of the best experiences I’ve had in my life. I still think about it to this day.”
Like that night at what Fury described as “the Motown bar” when he saw the others getting up and having the courage to sing, and then he mustered up the courage to tell Steward, “I’m going to sing a song!”
It was a preview of what was to come when Fury, for all the world to see in the ring, later shouted “American Pie” and “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing” after his victories in America. .
Steward was in Fury’s corner for only one fight, his December 18, 2010 unanimous decision victory (eight rounds to zero on all three scorecards) over Zack Page, which was immortalized on the undercard of the Bernard Hopkins-Jean Pascal title fight in Quebec City.
Emanuel Steward boarded a plane from his work with Klitschko in Austria on the day of the Page fight, and Fury recalled that the trainer showed up in a Hawaiian shirt and linen pants with no equipment.
“Who has gloves? Who has the bandages? Who has the scissors?” asked the steward.
If there was chaos back then, he wasn’t in the corner.
“It gave me confidence,” Fury said. “The information he gave me was crystal clear and basic to understand.”
The steward asked Fury to return with him to Detroit after his convincing triumph and accompany him internationally, working for HBO and training Klitschko.
Fury and his wife Paris were parents to a recent baby and he told Steward: “Listen, I can’t. I have to fight in the UK. I understand that I am just a potential candidate and you cannot devote all of your time to me. I hope we can work together again in the future. AND one day become heavyweight champion.”
The flight attendant replied, “I like it very much.”
That was the last time Fury saw Steward. He died after a brief battle with cancer in October 2012, and Fury, along with trainer Ben Davison, continued the fight after upsetting Klitschko.
During the fight, Klitschko Fury wore a pair of boxing shoes that Emanuel once gave him.
Davison remained in Fury’s corner through Wilder’s draw and when Fury was severely cut by Otto Wallin in 2019. This fight convinced Fury that he wanted someone else in his corner.
This recent coach was Steward “SugarHill”, which was a surprise at the time.
“I’ll be told, ‘That’s not a good idea,’” Fury told Sulaiman during a 2020 speech. “But it was very fitting that I would come back to SugarHill. I worked with SugarHill a lot when we were in Austria with Klitschko. He talked to me at work (road) and talked to me about various things while Emanuel was busy with Vladimir.
“I knew the training we did together would work for me – hitting long shots and adding power to my shots with every shot.”
All of these assets were at play as Fury knocked Wilder down twice before finishing him in the second fight, then dropped him three more times while rising from the canvas to win the trilogy fight, the fight of the year in 2021.
Fury finished fighting Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora in 2022 and arrived at Tuesday’s substantial events in top form as he now faces a final test against former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk.
The steward’s voice will guide Fury through the fight, and the unforgettable whispers of Emanuel Steward’s spirit will live on.
“It’s very good that I became world champion from the Kronk gym, just like Emanuel always said I would,” Fury said.
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Boxing
“Mike Tyson knocking out Jake Paul is an ‘all-time backfire’
Published
2 days agoon
November 14, 2024Mike Tyson may not win at all even if he knocks out Jake Paul on Friday.
Tyson is approaching a comeback fight that many believe will not end with anyone winning.
Tyson was told that winning at the age of 58 in boxing was an empty joke. Tyson can’t really win either way if he crushes Paul or gets knocked out himself.
The former UFC star turned analyst weighed in on the Tyson debate as Daniel Cormier offered his views on the controversial fight.
Tyson will wear his professional gloves on November 15, nineteen years and more since his last appearance. Despite “Iron” Mike losing his previous two contests by knockout, YouTuber Paul sees Tyson as a cash opportunity to gain some recognition.
However, Cormier joins many voices who believe that both men have no chance of winning this fight. The only advantage of the entire Netflix event is money, which is no reason to create such an antagonist, since both men are already millionaires.
On his “Funky and the Champ” show, Cormier discussed Tyson’s smokescreen training videos, saying, “I understand that [he looks good at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels great].
“I agree when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro. It looks like there’s still something left there. But then I see Jake Paul fighting Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t operate the backup tank to stay and compete with this juvenile kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
“What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over,” Cormier added. “Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like this has ever happened in the history of sports.”
Paul has eight two-minute rounds to get the job done, while the consensus is that Tyson only has 30 seconds before he’s blowing tough and having difficulty keeping up.
The only comparison fight fans have made to the Paul vs. Tyson fight is when Evander Holyfield returned to action at the same age as Tyson in 2021. Facing Vitor Belfort, who was twenty years older than Paul at the time, Holyfield lasted only 109 seconds.
Mike is in deep crisis and must get out of the fight or destroy his opponent to gain any recognition. Senior Tyson would have beaten that opponent in a matter of seconds. Therefore, he must prove that money is not the only thing that counts.
In a recent workout, Tyson’s muscle mass remains off the charts for a man his age. The only problems will be its resistance to attacks and movement. If Mike can’t move around the ring, he’ll be chosen at his discretion by a guy three decades younger, with a much more significant engine.
Paul clearly doesn’t have skills comparable to Tyson. However, Mike has shown on numerous occasions, even in his thirties, that he is prone to impoverished performances and falling out of the game.
An audience of millions will watch to decide his ultimate legacy.
If Paul knocks Tyson out, it will be a disaster.
Boxing
Ardreal Holmes Jr. is the leader of Large Time Boxing on December 12 in Flint, Michigan
Published
3 days agoon
November 13, 2024Salita Promotions returns to Flint, Michigan on Thursday, December 12 with another edition of BIG TIME BOXING USA, the leading talent development series in the sport, featuring a fight card packed with some of boxing’s top prospects, including Michigan Jr.’s Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes. , Joey Spencer, Da’Velle “Hitman 2.0” Smith and Leon Lawson III.
This will be the sixth BIG TIME BOXING USA card since the series premiered in February, and it is without a doubt the series’ strongest lineup yet, from top to bottom. All the action takes place at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, and the top four fights are broadcast live on DAZN, the undisputed home of boxing worldwide. Tickets for the event go on sale Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST and can be purchased online HERE or in person at the Dort Financial Center box office.
After successfully defending his USBA junior middleweight title in September, Flint native Holmes (16-0, 6 KO) returns to his hometown to once again put his title on the line in the main event against an experienced challenger, French veteran Ahmed El Mousaoui ( 35-6-1, 9 KOs).
Fan favorite Spencer (18-1, 11 KO), from nearby Fenton, Michigan, will fight in a 10-round 160-pound fight. Spencer has bounced back with two wins since his lone loss to undefeated, highly-rated Jesus Ramos in March 2023.
Spencer will fight as a professional for the second time in his home state of Michigan. “Fighting in front of fans and friends from all over the state was the best experience,” Spencer said. “I grew up fighting alongside Ardreal Holmes and Leon Lawson – training and traveling to tournaments together and even sparring with each other as we grew into the same weight class.
“Large Time Boxing is a very cold series and Dmitriy Salita does a lot for boxing in Michigan. I can’t wait for December 12th and I’ll be ready to put on a show.
“My team and I are proud to announce the strongest BIG TIME BOXING USA fight card to date,” Salita said. “Since the series launched in February, we have been building and evolving it to become the premier talent development platform for newborn fighters, and this fight card is the best yet. Thank you to DAZN for providing a global platform for these fighters to shine and earn a shot at a world title. We would also like to thank Flint fans for supporting their hometown heroes and the entire sport of boxing. We had a great performance at the Dort Financial Center in September and this fight card is even more packed with incredible talent.”
Smith, touted as Detroit’s best undefeated middleweight prospect since Tommy Hearns, scored an impressive victory over Gilberto Pereira dos Santos last month in Puerto Rico. Smith has a record of 10-0 and 8 knockouts, and his momentum will be even greater when he returns to the ring against William Townsel (8-1, 6 KO) from Virginia Beach. This matchup represents the first major test for Smith, who is considered the second coming of the legendary Hearns due to his combination of speed, power and physique. Townsel previously upset Nadim Salloum, who had a 12-1 record heading into the fight, during the March edition of BIG TIME BOXING USA.
Flint native Lawson (16-1, 9 KO), cousin of Anthony and Andre Dirrell, returns after an impressive performance in September when he dominated Argentine Luis Alberto Veron and scored his second straight TKO. Lawson’s super welterweight opponent will not be announced. Additionally, former world title contender Byron Rojas (28-4-3, 11 KO) will fight on the fight card.
Rising star Samantha Worthington (9-0, 7 KO) of Lexington, Kentucky, will compete for the third time in 2024, defending her undefeated record in women’s super lightweight fighting. Worthington is ranked No. 2 by the IBF, No. 4 by the WBO and No. 6 by the WBC and WBA at 140 pounds. Worthington is promoted by “GWOAT,” unified women’s world champion and Flint native Claressa Shields and T-Rex Promotions. Shields and Worthington were members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team.
Shields added that Worthington is a player that Flint fans won’t want to miss. “Samantha will showcase the relentless work ethic and tremendous skill that first caught my eye and has seen her rise through the ranks,” Shields said. “Samantha is well on her way to challenging the top competitors in the sport, with future world title fights against the likes of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano well within her reach. Michigan fans, get ready to watch a rising women’s boxing star in your own backyard.
Boxing
Deontay Wilder returns, inspired by the work of Sylvester Stallone
Published
3 days agoon
November 13, 2024Deontay Wilder revealed his intentions to fight again in an address to his supporters, inspired by a quote from Rocky star Sylvester Stallone.
The “Brown Bomber” tries to leave behind two devastating defeats and the decline of personal relationships, starting a comeback with a novel attitude. Wilder has sought professional support for his mentality and intends to return to the ring to give himself one last chance.
In a video post on Instagram, Wilder said: “Listen, everyone is going to have an opinion about you, but those opinions don’t matter. Life will hit you and knock you down. It’s a mindset to keep moving forward.
“I experienced failures long before boxing. I faced challenges long before I stepped into the ring. I was punched and knocked down long before I even put on boxing gloves. I’m still here because my attitude is to get up and keep going…
“So over the last few months I have been building the protocol with mentality [strength]. I always say that we all have greatness within us, but greatness is only defined in service, so I wake up every day trying to serve. To teach other men how to move forward and support other men improve their mindset because mental health is my primary mission.
“The next critical mission is to get in the ring and do what I was supposed to do,” Wilder added.
Deontay Wilder is not finished yet.
🎥 @BronzeBomber #Bombzquad pic.twitter.com/OLiOB8RcsE
— Boxing News (@WorldBoxingNews) November 13, 2024
Responding to those who believe his career is over, Wilder stated: “If any of you have negative opinions, look at your mindset and step back from that negative bull****. How about this?
“To all my fans and supporters and those who have never left me, I love you all very much and thank you very much. Because no matter how many losses and how many challenges, no matter how many times life hits you and knocks you down, you better get up and keep going. That is the power of thinking.”
Wilder was inspired by Rocky’s original quote from the movie “Rocky Balboa.”
Stallone’s quote reads: “Let me tell you something you already know. The world is not all sunshine and rainbows. This is a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are. It will bring you to your knees and keep you there forever if you let it.
“You, me or no one will hit as tough as life. But it’s not about how tough you hit. It’s about how tough you can get hit and keep going.
“As much as you can take and keep going. That’s how you win!”
Whether Deontay Wilder can win again will depend on his choice of opponent.
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