Scott Belshaw is planning on gate crashing the heavyweight title picture by ending the unbeaten run of Tyson Fury in their “battle of the big prospects” at the Watford Colosseum on Saturday night. Both men’s statistics stack up well ahead of the weekend’s showdown which is a special attraction on the undercard of the Darren Barker – Darren McDermott Commonwealth Middleweight title clash.. The Hennessy Sports event is live on ITV4’s Big Fight Live from 7.30pm with Fury’s clash with Belshaw bound to make for compulsive viewing.
The pair are “big” prospects in every sense of the word. Fury is an imposing 6 foot 9 while Belshaw is just two inches shorter at 6 foot 7. Their combined weight tips the scales at just under 500 pounds while their records are just as impressive.
Fury is a former ABA champion and World Junior medallist while Belshaw holds 5 Irish amateur titles. Their professional records combined have seen them win all but one of their 16 pro contests with a dozen knockout wins between them.
While it may be hard to split the pair on paper Belshaw believes he will be the last man standing on Saturday night. The Lisburn puncher has scored a string of devastating highlight reel KO’s and he believes his superior power will be enough to end Fury’s unbeaten run.
“I know I’ve got the power to knock guys out,” said the 23-year-old Belshaw. “My record proves that and I’m confident that I can do that to anyone I get in the ring with. I have the dynamite in my fists but I don’t think he has and I believe that will be the difference.
Fury believes a win on Saturday will take him another step closer to British and Commonwealth title fights but Belshaw isn’t paying any attention to his opponents plans. “Fury has a bit of a gob on him and he likes to talk but none of that makes any difference when you get in the ring. I’m not one for making predictions, I’ll let my fists do all my talking.
Belshaw says the opportunity to fight Fury couldn’t have been more perfectly timed. “I’m really fired up for this. I was due to fight in Belfast last weekend and I had worked so hard for that one so when it fell through I was gutted. Thankfully this opportunity came out of the blue and I jumped at it. I believe this is destiny for me and it’s my time.
“I’ve been training very hard since Christmas and it’s a massive chance for me. Tyson is the one with all the hype, everyone is talking about him and he’s calling everybody out but I’m the first person to step up to the plate and I’m very confident.
“We sparred together a couple of years ago and it was a good, tough spar. I felt I was stronger in there and I know I’ve improved a lot since then although I’m sure he has as well.”
Belshaw has just one defeat on his pro record (later avenged) and is now back at home in Northern Ireland having relocated to London for a brief period last year. “Moving to London just didn’t work out for me,” admitted Belshaw. “I’m a lot happier and more settled back at home and I’m around people I trust and I think that will show in my boxing on Saturday night.”
Belshaw’s clash with Fury is part of an excellent supporting cast to the main event at the Watford Colosseum on Saturday night with Darren Barker defending his Commonwealth Middleweight title against Darren McDermott.
In the chief support bout Matthew Thirwall and George Hillyard will battle it out in what promises to be a thrilling ten round Middleweight clash while hot prospects Bradley Evans, Steve O’Meara, Steve Barnes and the pro debut of Phill Fury (subject to board approval) also feature. Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.
Tyson Fury waiting on Belshaw
Tyson Fury is out to make a statement of intent at the Watford Colosseum this Saturday when he takes to the ring for his first scheduled 8 round contest. The undefeated heavyweight sensation has stopped all five of his professional opponents to date and he’s hoping that fellow heavyweight giant Scott Belshaw will become victim number 6 this weekend. Fury is a special attraction on the undercard of the Darren Barker – Darren McDermott Commonwealth Middleweight title clash which headlines the Hennessy Sports event live on ITV4.
Northern Ireland’s Belshaw had been due to fight in Belfast at the weekend but his contest fell through at the last minute leaving him free to take on Fury this Saturday night.
“My promoter’s offered Belshaw the fight and all his demands have been met so lets hope he doesn’t chicken out now,” said Fury. “His team have said that he’s up for it and he’s got everything he asked for so the only thing I need to know now is that he’s going to turn up on Saturday night.”
Belshaw, a five time Irish Amateur Champ, has just one defeat (later avenged) on his 11 fight pro record with seven of his ten wins coming inside the distance. The 6 foot 7 inch, 23-year-old has been hailed as the second coming of George Foreman by promoter Frank Maloney but Fury isn’t taking that prediction too seriously.
“I don’t expect to be buying a Scott Belshaw grill any time soon but I can promise him a roasting on Saturday night. Some people seem to think he’s a top prospect but we’ll find out who the real deal is at the weekend.
“I’m up for fighting any of these other so called prospects because there’s no point in me going around saying I’m the best young heavyweight out there unless I’m willing to back it up.
I’ll be ready to make a move on the British or Commonwealth titles this year and what I saw in Belfast on Saturday night with Sam Sexton taking the Commonwealth title from Martin Rogan backs that up. I offered to take on Sexton in his back yard in just my third pro fight but he didn’t want to know so he’s already running scared.”
Fury is just back from a trip to Germany where he got in some quality sparring ahead of this weekend’s contest. “I’ve been finding it hard to get sparring in the U.K. let alone opponents so it was good to travel over to Germany where most of the top guys are based these days.
“It was great to get some quality sparring under my belt over there and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and hopefully it will show in my performance on Saturday.”
Fury’s sixth pro outing is part of an excellent supporting cast to the main event at the Watford Colosseum on Saturday night with Darren Barker defending his Commonwealth Middleweight title against Darren McDermott.
In the chief support bout Matthew Thirwall and George Hillyard will battle it out in what promises to be a thrilling ten round Middleweight clash while hot prospects Bradley Evans, Steve O’Meara, Steve Barnes and the pro debut of Phill Fury (subject to board approval) also feature. Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.