by James Slater , photo by Chris Royle – Tonight, at the historic York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, unbeaten 20-year-old heavyweight prospect made embarrassingly short work of 35-year-old Matthew Ellis of Blackpool. Fury, from Manchester, decked Ellis twice inside the opening minute of the opening round, and referee Dave Parris counted out the older man. The official time was just 48 seconds of round one, and the 6’9,” approx 253-pound Fury improved to 5-0(5) as a pro. Ellis, who gave away plenty of height, reach and weight, fell to 20-7-1(9).
Before the fight, Fury – who says he has been having trouble getting good fighters to spar with him, let alone fight him for real – said he’d treat tonight’s bout as a sparring session, hoping as he was to get some rounds in. However, due to the atmospheric crowd, Fury changed his mind and went out looking for the quick KO. Ellis, who for some reason chose to stand bang in front of the much bigger and taller man, allowing the giant to tee off on him as he did so, offered next to nothing in the way of a challenge..
Getting his fast left jab to work, Fury fired out right hands off the jab. Landing at will, Fury sent Ellis down with a combination that consisted of two right hands and a left hook to the head. Ellis beat the count, but was soon sent to the mat for a second time, this time by a right hand to the side of the head. Still conscious, but choosing to remain on his knees as Parris counted, the veteran was down for the ten seconds.
There was no booing from the crowd tonight, but the action was in no way value for money. Still, the Fury hype machine rolls on and we can only hope he will be given much sterner tests in the near future. However, both the fighter himself and his promoter Mick Hennessey claim no top-ten heavyweights in Britain want to know. Still only 20-years-of-age, the man who only made his pro debut last December says he wants to stay active, but that he is having real trouble getting fights.
Next up for Fury will be a spot on the April 25th Carl Froch-Jermain Taylor world title fight in Connecticut. No opponent has been named yet for the prospect, but it is to be hoped that whoever it is that faces the fighter Hennessey calls the most exciting fighter since Mike Tyson will put up more of an effort than the disappointing Matthew Ellis.