Former heavyweight hero’s friendly counsel for Tyson Fury following his knockdown on Saturday
Comment
WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is expected to be in a bad mood after he was knocked down by a boxing debutant on Saturday. A man who once tasted shoes like his recently sent him comfort and advice.
ADVERTISEMENT
Tyson Fury was disgraced last Saturday when boxing debuatant Francis Ngannou knocked him down in the third round of their 10-round match, though he later won Ngannou by split decision.
Former heavyweight hero Riddick Bowe has sent Tyson Fury public advice following the unexpected incident and the heavy criticism and mockery it sparked.
Fury is to meet Oleksandr Usyk soon for an undisputed world heavyweight title bout. A contract that necessitates the contest was signed before Tyson Fury met Ngannou in the ring at ‘The Battle of the Baddest’.
The plan was for Tyson Fury to fight with Oleksandr Usyk on the 23rd of December after beating Ngannou and showing him that there was little a boxing debutant could do to a heavyweight king.
When the opposite of most expectations took place in the match, many thought Ngannou was even the right winner. Moreover, Fury collected injuries from the face-off, so the undisputed bout was officially postponed to next year.
Riddick Bowe said Tyson Fury should pull out of the fight by claiming to be injured, a rather comic thing to do in full sight of all.
‘If I was Tyson I would pull out,’ said Bowe. ‘ I wouldn’t fight. Not this early. I would say my hand is hurt. I would postpone or wiggle my way out ’till I get into better shape then see him down the line.’
A pundit Teddy Atlas however announced that Tyson Fury won the fight, after allegedly rewatching the bout. Atlas said, ‘My final score 97-93 for Mr Fury.’
In explanation how he arrived at his ‘honest card’, Atlas said, ‘My comments – lots of posturing, feinting, half jabs, a lot of looking. Could have been more even rounds possibly, but I know it’s an honest card. I’m saying what I believe.’
Many, like Carl Froch, still think Ngannou was robbed of his win by ‘corruption in high places’.
Speaking further on how he thought Fury now felt, Bowe stated, ‘He’s bewildered and he’s disappointed because of this man [Ngannou] who did things to him he never thought could happen.
‘So as a champion, his heart is broken. I know how it feels to be knocked down. All these things happen and you go back and think about it and it made me depressed for a month or so.’
Riddick then advised the humiliated champion on the next steps to take.
‘Get your ass up and running,’ said Bowe. ‘Whatever you did for this fight do it more so. When you take them lightly you see what happens.’
Whether or not Fury is ready to fight Usyk as soon as early next year, it seemingly does not matter to Usyk’s team, which recently requested proof that he cannot compete in December. It would be hard to dodge by lying.
ADVERTISEMENT
