By James Slater: The story of who British heavyweight hope Tyson Fury will face on his U.S television debut continues. As fight fans know, the 11-0(9) big man was originally to have faced Jason Gavern on Showbox: The Next Generation on September 10th, only for Gavern to pull out due to an injury suffered in training camp. In stepped the once-beaten Donnell Holmes – but almost as quickly the 37-year-old stepped out again. Wanting, he told Boxing News, to fight from now on as a cruiserweight, Homes wants no part of the 6’7” Manchester prospect.
The latest name said to be willing to rumble with Fury in London next Friday night, is an unbeaten 30-year-old named Rich Power. Not too much is known about Power, who hails from Michigan, apart from the fact that he is 12-0(9) as pro and that his opposition has thus far been limited. Since turning pro in June of 2008, “Super” Power has met and defeated just three men who had winning records. The approx 230-pounder can bang some, as his nine stoppage victories show, but big question marks appear next to Power’s other attributes. Can he take a punch, how will he cope if he has to go beyond four-rounds, and can Power handle a fighter like Fury; a man who has a good amateur background.
Unless he too decides to pull out and withdraw his services from the September 10th bout, we will get the chance to learn a little more about Power. At least Fury is still to face a U.S opponent, the first of his pro career, and at least Power is an active fighter. Having boxed five times last year and three times so far here in 2010, Power is sure to be match-fit and sharp. The 30-year-old banged out all three of his recent opponents; two of them inside a single round – and again, he could be dangerous.
But will the 22-year-old “hype job” be extended or even threatened by Power? Gavern, as durable as he is, and Holmes, as many fights as he’d had, figured to test Fury at least a little. Power, though, has nowhere near the credentials either of those two fighters have. Let’s hope we don’t see a farce/easy and quick KO by Fury. On his U.S TV debut, that is that is the last thing Luke Tyson Fury needs!