By James Slater – Fans are excited about unbeaten, 6’8” heavyweight hope Richard Towers. The Hatton-promoted giant has been making good progress after having turned pro relativity late (he is 32 already, and just 13-0(10)) and he was to have taken his toughest test to date on June 16th in Manchester..
Set to face unbeaten German Michael Wallisch on the Scott Quigg-Rendall Munroe bill, Towers will now face Frenchman Gregory Tony. The German pulled out (no reason given as far as the news article on Boxrec goes) and former “Prizefighter” semi-finalist Tony, 17-2(14) steps in as a late replacement.
This is disappointing news, and it would be interesting to find out just why Wallisch pulled out, but as a late replacement, Tony is not bad. And Hatton Promotions feel a win will move Towers closer to a shot at European heavyweight champ Kubrat Pulev.
“Tony is a decent test,” Hatton’s CEO said to Boxrec. “The fight will tell us exactly where Richard is at and if he wins he’ll be closing in on the new European champion Kubrat Pulev. Richard is making steady progress and inside 12 months will be ready for men like Pulev, Tyson Fury and David Price.”
Price looks to be a few streets ahead of Towers at the moment, but it would be exciting to see Towers in there with Fury and/or Pulev. Fury says he is ready for a world title shot right now and therefore may not look at Towers, but the fight would prove a big hit if it did happen – and both men need more work before they head into the elite level. Pulev is as strong as an ox, and a fight between he and Towers (or Fury for that matter) would be a major test indeed.
34-year-old Tony now hopes to derail Towers, however.
A decent mover with fast hands, Tony, despite his 14 KO’s, is not a huge puncher. Boxing mostly at home, Tony has lost both times he has travelled abroad for a fight. Robert Helenius stopped him in Germany in October of 2010, “The Nordic Nightmare” scoring a 6th-round TKO, while Irish-based Cuban Mike Perez took Tony out inside a round during last May’s international version of heavyweight “Prizefighter.”
Since the loss to Perez, Tony has picked up two quick KO wins in France. I can see Tony, no small heavyweight at 6’5” and around 230-pounds, boxing well in the early going, maybe frustrating Towers, before the younger, stronger, more determined man starts getting home with his power shots. Look for Towers to break Tony down for a mid-rounds stoppage win. Then, maybe, “The Inferno” will look to get in there with Pulev or maybe (we can hope!) Fury.