For Tyson Fury, the First Fight Is Still the Scale

Tyson Fury appears to be edging toward a comeback after the former two time heavyweight world champion posted several short training clips from a gym in Thailand.

The footage, however, raises more doubts than excitement. Fury looks overweight, and the weight makes him look older than his 37 years. Shirtless on the heavy bag, his waist hangs heavy and loose, giving him the appearance of a middle aged man rather than a fighter preparing for a return.

One commenter noted that Fury resembled his father, John Fury, who is 60. Not a young looking 60. The comparison may be harsh, but it reflects what the footage shows. Extra weight has a way of ageing heavyweights quickly.

Fury retired last January following back to back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, losses that settled their rivalry with little room for debate. Since then, he has continued to surface periodically through training clips and social media posts without committing to another fight.

The sparring footage included in the latest post does little to shift the picture. Fury moves around the ring while Kevin Lerena follows him without applying pressure. Lerena does not let his hands go. There are no sustained exchanges and no attempts to test Fury’s conditioning. That restraint benefits Fury. In his current shape, dealing with incoming punches from a powerful 33 year old southpaw would likely expose issues the clip avoids.

While Fury has remained on the sidelines, the heavyweight division has continued without waiting. Usyk reinforced his position by stopping Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last July, while Fabio Wardley moved forward by knocking out Joseph Parker in October.

If Fury intends to return later this year, the first fight will not be an opponent. It will be the scale. The weight has to come off. Until that happens, the clips don’t change much.