Tyson Fury faces Kevin Johnson tonight; wants one of the Klitschkos next

By ESB - 11/30/2012 - Comments

By Michael Collins: Undefeated heavyweight contender Tyson Fury (19-0, 14 KO’s) has already counted tonight’s fight against American Kevin Johnson (28-2-1, 13 KO’s) as a victory in the win column and he’s looking past Johnson towards a much wanted fight against either Vitali Klitschko or his brother Wladimir Klitschko. It remains to be seen whether Fury can get past Johnson, but if he does he’ll likely get one of the Klitschkos in the ring because they’re interested in fighting him.

Fury will be fighting Johnson at the Odyssey Arena, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. This isn’t Fury’s home country, but he likes to fight there and the Irish fans support him. It’s unclear whether they still will if he loses tonight.

Fury told fightnews.com I’m the best heavyweight since Lennox Lewis and after this fight I want Vitali Klitschko or Wladimir Klitschko. This man [Johnson] is getting smashed to bits.”

I wonder if Fury means he’s the “best” British heavyweight since Lewis? Is he saying he’s better than the Klitschkos? I’ve seen most of Fury’s fights and he doesn’t look anywhere near as good as the Klitschkos. I don’t think he’s even as good as David Price, and I’m not sure whether he’s eve better than Kevin Johnson.

Fury doesn’t have much power. He’s got a few knockouts but he’s also faced a ton of weak opponents, so his knockout percentage is more than a little misleading. If those 19 fights had occurred against the likes of Price, Vitali, Wladimir, Kubrat Pulev, Alexander Povetkin, Denis Boytsov and Chris Arreola, I doubt that Fury would have even one knockout on his record. Fury is more of a slapper than a puncher.

To be sure, Fury can knockout the 2nd and 3rd tier heavyweights by sheer accumulation of shots, but I’ve not seen him knockout anyone I would consider even remotely a good heavyweight. I don’t take him seriously as a knockout puncher. Fury can beat guys by out-landing them with a high volume punch attack, but if they’ve got a little going on in the talent department I think they’ll be okay against Fury and won’t be knocked out.