No Windsor Park exhibition for Tyson Fury
Tyson Fury will face a ‘higher calibre opponent’ when he returns to the ring in Belfast on August 18th promises promoter Frank Warren.
The charismatic and controversial heavyweight fought for the first time since November 2015 in Manchester last Saturday night with a farcical win over overmatched Albanian Sefer Seferi.
The fight at the Manchester Arena was Fury’s return from a tumultuous time outside the ring following his shock dethroning of Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf where he captured the IBF, WBA, WBO world titles
Whilst the former Irish champion was never going to dive straight into a tough test, there was widespread criticism of his comeback opponent by both commentators and fans.
Sefer Seferi offered no threat to the former champion and the bout had an exhibition feel to it from start to finish.
There was showboating, play-acting, a pause to watch one o the many fights in the crowd, and even a face-off kiss before Seferi eventually retired on his stool following the conclusion of the fourth round.
Thankfully, Irish fight fights won’t have to endure a Seferi type bout on the Carl Frampton undercard in Windsor Park come August 18th as promoter Frank Warren, who himself was upset with the Albanian, promises a better opponent.
The Queensbury boss suggests that, while the big man’s comes down and his sharpness goes up, the level of opposition will increase somewhat for the stadium fight night which will be Fury’s fifth pro contest in Ireland.
While a world class opponent can’t be expected – indeed, maybe not even a European-class opponent, it is reassuring news ahead of the BT Sport-broadcast card.
“Tyson needs to lose even more weight before he fights on Carl Frampton’s card at Windsor Park on August 18. He is also aware there will be a higher calibre opponent,” Warren told the Daily Mail.
“We didn’t try to kid anyone that Seferi was anything other than someone to help him ease into his comeback. Taking off all those stones in less than three months is physically draining and he also had to start shaking off the ring rust after such a long lay-off’.”
“The clamour for Fury to set about regaining the several belts he gave over to Anthony Joshua will be resisted until next summer. Tyson needs more time and more fights.”
Fury looks set to offer chief support to featherweight Frampton – whose own opponent looks set to be announced at a press conference in Belfast on Wednesday, with Aussie Luke Jackson believed to be the man to face ‘The Jackal’.
