Otto Wallin Was Far From Tyson Fury’s First Choice For His Next Fight

By James Slater - 08/13/2019 - Comments

…Five Other Fighters Were Preferable But Unavailable

If you’re far from thrilled over the next opponent for proud lineal heavyweight champ Tyson Fury, it turns out Fury is pretty much feeling exactly the same way. Swedish southpaw Wallin, unbeaten but untested and largely unknown, was way down on the list of preferable challengers, with Fury and his team wanting, in no particular order: Kubrat Pulev, Alexander Povetkin, Jarrell Miller, Trevor Bryan or Manuel Charr.

But as Fury’s trainer Ben Davison explained when speaking with The Express, all five heavyweights were unavailable for one reason or another:

“There was names being chucked about. It’s very difficult,” Davison said. “I know that [Kubrat] Pulev is in a situation for the IBF mandatory, he’s not going to take that fight [with Fury], didn’t want to take that fight. An offer got put out to Alexander Povetkin – he took the Hughie [Fury] fight. Tyson said he wanted Big Baby Miller but he wasn’t going to get a license in time. He then said Trevor Bryan, who signed to fight Manuel Charr. It’s very difficult.”

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Davison added how things will hopefully turn out great next year, as that massive, everyone-wants-to-see-it return fight between Fury and Deontay Wilder will take place. But before then we have Fury-Wallin to, er, well, look forward to. If Fury himself didn’t want the fight, and is not excited by it, then how are we fans supposed to get pumped up for it? It’s difficult, as Davison said.

Let’s hope Fury-Wallin will not be a pay-per-view offering the way Fury-Tom Schwarz was (here in the UK, on BT Sport – for the fee of approx £20.) But of course, we know this will not prove to be the case. It’s tough to see anything like decent numbers being pulled in by the September fight. It’s not Fury’s fault, as his trainer has explained. But then it’s not our fault, is it?

Is there anyone out there (barring Wallin’s team and immediate family) who is willing to predict anything other than a commanding victory for Fury?