10 Factors That Could Help Tyson Fury Upset the Odds Against Wladimir Kiltschko
Tyson Fury could be the next heavyweight to get the chance to end the long reign of Wladimir Klitschko.
The unbeaten British boxer has worked his way into the position of mandatory challenger for the WBO title, one of four belts Dr. Steelhammer currently holds.
Klitschko (64-3, 53 KO) successfully defended the gold against Bryant Jennings on April 25, making it 22 successive wins for the Ukrainian.
After his victory over Jennings in New York, the 39-year-old admitted he will likely face Fury (24-0, 18 KO) next.
He said, per Reuters (h/t The Guardian): "Fighting Fury in Germany or in Great Britain, that’s something we have to figure out. It’s something we have to work out."
So could the giant Mancunian be the man to hand the reigning champion his first defeat since 2010?
It will not be easy for Fury, though he has never lacked self-belief.
Here are 10 things that could happen to help him overcome the odds against Klitschko.
1. Get Home Advantage
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Asked about a fight with Fury, Klitschko said, per BBC Sport: "I think this fight needs to happen in Europe."
Whether that means in Germany, a country that has become a second home for the Ukrainian, remains to be seen.
Fury, of course, would like to have home advantage to aid his cause.
Manchester would be ideal for the challenger, though he is no stranger to fighting in London either.
Ben Grounds of the Daily Mail suggested Frank Warren, Fury's promoter, will "aim to bring the fight to UK shores, with an outdoor stadium the likely venue."
Klitschko has only fought in England once before, beating Monte Barrett at the New London Arena in Millwall on the undercard to Lennox Lewis' clash with Francois Botha in 2000.
2. Train Harder Than Ever
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It would seem fairly obvious that a boxer needs to train hard before a fight.
However, a bout against Klitschko would be the biggest of Fury's career. No stone should be left unturned during his preparations.
The 26-year-old is trained by his uncle, Peter Fury, who explained to Boxing News why they have now opted to base their camps abroad:
"The difference between training at home and abroad is the total seclusion you get from the latter; you’re focused on the job and it gives you peace of mind, away from all distractions.
It benefits all fighters, because staying in a comfort zone is not ideal. You need to be hardened, professional boxing is all about conditioning the mind as well.
Training away from home makes you hungrier, your appetite.
"
The team certainly wouldn't want any distractions when training for such a monumental challenge.
3. Keep Your Powder Dry
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Fury is not one to shy away from publicity.
For example, at the press conference before his rematch against Dereck Chisora last year, he used a string of expletives when talking about his opponent, a journalist and Wladimir Klitschko.
The British Boxing Board of Control handed out a misconduct charge for the boxer's actions and eventually fined him £15,000.
So, when the Chisora bout had to be arranged for later in 2014, Fury decided to take a different approach to the next media day.
He turned up with his mouth taped up to avoid getting into hot water again, per Matt Christie of Boxing News.
Fury would be wise not to rile the officials or Klitschko, should he get the chance to face the Ukrainian in the ring.
David Haye tried his best to get under the champion's skin before facing him in 2011, though his efforts failed to pay off. He was knocked down twice in round 11 before comfortably losing on points.
So, don't wind up Klitschko. It will result in you learning a painful lesson in respect!
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4. Complacency from the Champion
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As the reigning WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO champion, the one thing Klitschko would really like to do is complete the collection by adding the WBC belt.
That title is currently held by Deontay Wilder, and a bout against the American is in the pipeline.
Klitschko said of the possibility of facing Wilder, per Fightnews.com (h/t Boxing News 24):
"It’s true I never held the WBC title and a unification fight against Deontay Wilder would be fantastic.
It’s not going to happen next.
I think Deontay need to defend his title first time, and probably such fight can happen at the beginning of next year
"
Could the possibility of being the one and only champion in the division cause the Ukrainian to take his eye off the ball?
Fury certainly hopes so, and he is a dangerous opponent to overlook.
5. Help from Father Time
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Despite being 39 years old, Klitschko's appetite for fighting seems to be as strong as ever.
He made it through 12 rounds against Jennings comfortably enough, the judges scoring it 118-109 and 116-111 (twice) in his favour at Madison Square Garden.
However, the one blemish came in the 10th round, when he was deducted a point by the referee for holding.
Physically, Klitschko still looks in excellent shape. But how much longer can he keep putting his body through the rigours of a tough training schedule?
There could come a moment in the ring when his reactions betray him, when the feet don't slide across quite in time to avoid a shot.
Remember, the one opponent a boxer can never get the better of is Father Time.
6. Start Fast
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The final scores made it clear that Klitschko had beaten Jennings by a distance, though he did not have it all his own way.
The American managed to cope with whatever the champion threw at him for 12 rounds and even had moments of success himself.
While Jennings never did enough to get the nod from the judges, he did earn the respect of his opponent.
Klitschko, per Bryan Armen Graham of The Guardian, said of his challenger: “He was really mobile and it was really tough to hit him. Jennings was challenging."
In hindsight, Jennings may have wished he had started the bout as he finished it.
Too many rounds were lost as Klitschko controlled proceedings behind his jab. Fury can't afford to make the same mistake, should he face Dr. Steelhammer.
7. Weather the Storm
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Klitschko has won 53 of his 64 fights by knockout, and his power, perhaps, doesn't get the respect it deserves.
If Fury is going to conquer the current champion, he is going to have to take some risks. That, of course, can leave you open to be countered.
It is unlikely that the British heavyweight can control all 12 rounds against a longtime world champion with much more experience.
Therefore, he is going to have to go through the odd moment of adversity to triumph.
Fury has had to climb off the canvas to win before. Neven Pajkic, for example, dropped him in the second round of their 2011 fight before Fury ultimately earned the win.
8. Keep on the Move
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ESPN's boxing expert Dan Rafael said of Klitschko's latest victory: "Jennings, with his movement, awkward style and sneaky punches, made him work hard for it."
The American tried to make himself as difficult as possible to hit, keeping his hands high.
He was determined not to be a sitting target against the Klitschko jab, then—when the opportunity arose—he would work his way inside and aim for the body.
Fury is bigger than Jennings, meaning he could find it tougher to replicate such tactics.
But that doesn't mean he should just plod forward in the hope of landing some shots of his own.
The Manchester-born fighter needs to be busy, then pick his moments to take a breather. He can also counter Klitschko's powerful jab with his own.
9. Make the Most of His Size
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Fury stands at 6′9″, giving him both a height and reach advantage over the current WBO champion.
However, Klitschko said of Fury, per Declan Taylor of the Daily Mail: "I believe that the fight with Tyson Fury will look different to this one because of the size difference—Fury is taller than me. He is definitely the guy who is ambitious and I think it is going to be exciting."
His record would seem to back up his words. The three men who have beaten Klitschko—Lamon Brewster, Corrie Sanders and Ross Puritty—all gave away at least two inches in height.
Samuel Peter, who stands at 6'2", also troubled Vitali's younger brother in their first meeting.
Yet Fury, per Ben Grounds in the Daily Mail, believes he can buck the trend and end Klitschko's long reign:
"Again, Klitschko did what he had to do against Jennings and won.
It was the same as it always is though, the smaller man trying to get inside Klitschko's jab with him holding and leaning, although he was slightly more aggressive against Jennings.
Lets see him try that against someone who's the same size as he is, younger, stronger, fitter, faster and with a knockout punch—me.
"
10. Get Lucky
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It never hurts to have luck on your side, and sometimes in big sporting events, a slice of good fortune can make all the difference.
Fury could get saved by the bell at the end of a round, or he might land one huge punch in the blink of an eye that ends up turning the whole fight in his favour.
Of course, you need to be talented to make the most of any break that comes your way.
The Brit has beaten all 24 opponents put in front of him so far, and he has earned himself a shot at a world title.
Klitschko has been dropped before, and it could be that Fury is going to catch him at the perfect time. That, you see, might be the bit of luck he needs to become the new champion.
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