By James Slater: Now that the BBB of C have turned down 42-year-old Frans Botha as the February 19th opponent for the unbeaten Tyson Fury, the 22-year-old hope is looking elsewhere for someone to fight on the Wembley card. Whether or not the British Board did the right thing in disallowing the South African as Fury’s next opponent is a debatable subject in itself; but right now the main thing is finding someone for the 6’9” prospect to rumble with next month.
Team-Fury can’t understand why the Board rejected Botha though, seeing as how he has only lost to the best. And Fury and his father Hughie make a good point when they say far worse, less capable fighters have been allowed in to the UK to face an up-and-comer in the past.
“We are surprised the Board have turned him [Botha] down,” Fury is quoted as saying by Fightnews.com. “Botha has boxed in world class and surely he is a tougher opponent than John McDermott, who Tyson has boxed twice. There aren’t many heavyweights out there for Tyson to fight.”
Apparently, two names that have been put forward are Matt Skelton (even older than Botha at age 44) and Kevin McBride (who has not won a meaningful fight since he beat a faded Mike Tyson in 2005!)
“I would like to get revenge for Mike,” Fury said of the option of facing the Irishman who stopped “Iron Mike” all those years ago. Before adding, “But I don’t see that any of the opponents that have been suggested are better than Botha.”
Indeed. Have the Board made a mistake over this one? We don’t know the names of the other fighters the Board have approved to face Fury, but Skelton and McBride are in no way any better than Botha. A few years ago, a clash between Fury and the teak-tough Skelton would have been very interesting, but today? Skelton has been stopped a couple of times and he has also had serious legal troubles distracting him. And as for Fury-McBride, come on!
The man Fury really wants is British amateur star and fellow unbeaten pro David Price. The two met as amateurs a while back, with Price getting the win. “I’m willing to fight him again,” Tyson said.
But Price has his own next fight planned and a date with Fury looks doubtful, for now anyway.
As fans of this web site will know, U.S heavyweight Kevin Johnson has put his name forward; even asking Fury whether or not he’s “scared” to face him. Will the big Brit look “King Pin’s” way? Now, that WOULD be an interesting match-up! Here’s betting it doesn’t happen.