Retired heavyweight great Lennox Lewis, who had his very last fight against a Klitschko, in Vitali, is an interested observer going into the rematch between Tyson Fury and Vitali’s younger brother, Wladimir. Fury upset Klitschko as we know, but a lot of things have happened since last November. Firstly, and most notably, Fury piled on a ton of weight (weight he is currently shifting during training camp for the July 9th rematch), and secondly, Klitschko has vowed to be “mentally there” this time and KO Fury.
In terms of physical appearance, Klitschko currently has the upper hand (but then Wladimir is always in great physical condition, even between fights) – but who is winning the mental side of things, the mind games? Lennox, in speaking with Gareth A Davies of The Telegraph, said he feels Fury has the upper hand in this department and that Fury has been “playing with the Ukrainian’s head.”
Lewis saw, along with the rest of us, the quite shocking physical appearance of Fury at that Manchester press conference at the end of last month, but Lewis says the move Fury made, of revealing his flabby midsection, was a ploy that will ultimately affect Klitschko.
“They were the actions of a very confident man,” Lewis told The Telegraph. “When Klitschko does see Fury, who will get in shape now ahead of the fight, it will affect him. Klitschko does not punch to the belly anyway, so he can go in there with the biggest belly he wants and Klitschko won’t punch him there. It will be an interesting fight this time. Klitschko knows he did fall asleep and he has realised he does need to wake up for this fight. I think if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and I think Fury will probably do the same thing in the second fight. Move around the ring and use his quickness. He moves well for a big man.”
If Lennox is right, fans will likely be in store for another fight that will be, shall we say, engrossing but far from dramatic at best, and dull as dishwater at worst. Fury has vowed to score the KO this time, too, but most people discount his claims that he will stand and trade with Klitschko, slug it out with him, in order to “see who wins a fight like that.” No, with cool, calm and calculated trainer Peter Fury guiding him, Fury will be all business and he will, in all likelihood, prove Lewis to be correct and use pretty much the same game-plan as before. It worked a treat in November, it’s up to Klitschko to adjust and do things that prevent Fury from dominating the action with his speed, his reflexes and his feints. Who knows, maybe Klitschko, even at the advanced age of 40, has been working on new things, such as a steady body attack?
Another wide points win for Fury does look likely though, and then we will find out if the unbeaten star really does mean it when he says he’s going to retire. With massive fights out there for him with the likes of Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, Fury would surely be mad to walk away when at the height of his physical and commercial powers.
And on the subject of who wins between Fury and Joshua, Lewis had a short but interesting reply for Davies:
“Fury wins today because he won the other day and he beat the champion,” Lewis said. “And I also think that Anthony Joshua has Tyson Fury’s belt. The IBF should not have stripped Fury of the belt.”
Hopefully, we will get to find out who wins this all-British mega-fight.