Tyson Fury, is he the greatest?

Real life boxing
#1

Fair bit of discussion about this since his easy win over Whyte. What’s your thoughts, greatest of all time?

Way I see it, he is clearly not the greatest in terms of resume. Plenty have much better records and way more title defences etc. So in that sense, hell no.

But I find it hard to see which legends of the past would beat him. Guy is a giant who moves like a middleweight. Add in Kronk knock out power and he is a problem for anyone. Won’t be appreciated fully until many years after he retires (be amazed if he doesn’t fight Usuk or Joshua)

#2

Not for me. Definitely the best of the current era but don’t think he’s fought enough tough fighters to be considered an all time great. I think he needs to fight the winner of AJ/Usyk. Usyk causes him trouble with his movement but probably not big enough.

#3

Yeah that is what I’m getting at. Career wise he is no where near the best ever. And to be honest, probably still not if he beats AJ and Usyk.

I’m as bad as anyone for getting blinded by nostalgia. But in terms of who actually beats him I’m struggling. The top boxers of yesteryear are tiny in comparison. Lennox Lewis would have the best shot I think. Now that would be some fight.

#4

Not for me either.

Greatest British/Irish for sure and every chance in time of being considered the greatest.

Got to be a good consideration for Top 10 though.

Just a shame there’s nothing bigger out there than the AJ fight (which would be cool) assuming that Usyk loses on size difference alone… Just nothing that cements GOAT etc …

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#5

That’s the problem, he will be judged against his peers. All you can do really. And this era will never be seen as strong as Ali’s or Lewis’s.

#6

Sadly I agree with you all. He is with out doubt a legend and up in top 10 of best ever. I hope he fights winner of usyk aj but I have got a feeling he won’t. Then in a few years time he will get urge to get back in ring and get beaten.

#7

I think he will beat Usyk / AJ winner then retire. But totally agree he will get itchy feet and come back at some stage. Fighting whoever is the main man in a few years time.

#8

Needs to beat more people to go from great to…truly exceptional. I think he has the ability, but not the resume.

He beat Klitschko in 2015. Klitschko was 39, almost 40, (Fury was 27 I think) and Klitschko only had one more fight after that against AJ. In the two years prior to fighting Fury, Klitschko beat 5 men - all over the age of 37. He hadn’t fought anyone under 30 for 10 years previous to Fury, since 2005.

Then we have Seferi, Paineta, Schwartz and Wallin (who I think caused him big problems). Good - but I don’t think that is enough to call him a great.

Wilder - entertaining fights, and he is a powerful puncher, but he isn’t Lennox Lewis. Is that really a test for a top ten heavyweight, once Wilder’s power punch is neutralized?

Dillian Whyte - in my opinion, he was always going to struggle because of his size and style. That fight was no surprise really. He also lost to AJ and an old Povetkin at the end of his career.

Prior to Klitschko there was Chisora, Cunningham, Rogan, Abel, Johnson….

He has done well to become world champion, of course. But has he shown the extent of his ability? I don’t think so - not yet.

If he had wins against AJ, Usyk, Hrgovic, and maybe Joyce…then I think his resume becomes as good as it can be in this era.

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#9

Excellent synopsis of his career. Thanks for posting that here.

Fury’s greatness for me is as much backstory + career but agree it’s not quite there.

#10

Thing about fury is it looks like he has only just hit his peak. It’s unthinkable he would retire without fighting AJ at the least.

#11

He has to right…?
Usyk I get why he doesn’t want or need that but Joshua… Man, I need that level of excitement.

#12

He has been bickering with AJ since AJ was first a pro. Surely that has to happen eh. If he doesn’t fight AJ (and Usyk really) you will always get haters who will use it against him. Though in fairness I didn’t think he cares about that. Can’t see him wasting time reading what the morons have to say on social media. And I bet everyone is extremely nice to his face :slightly_smiling_face:

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#13

Could be a good fight against AJ, but based on AJ’s form recently, I think Fury wins it. If AJ can get his form back and use his strength and speed to push Fury back and fight on the inside, then maybe it could be interesting. But AJ seems to have taken on other styles of late.

Despite having the belts, if Fury doesn’t beat more top ten fighters in the heavyweight division, I think that in terms of boxing achievements in the ring, he will be a ‘could have been’. I think people might reflect on what he didn’t do.

Obviously he has achieved a lot outside the ring - which is great.

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#14

Agree and think he actually destroys AJ. The guy doesn’t take a punch well…

It’s such a shame there’s such a lack of real quality/dangerous contenders.

#15

I’m more interested in seeing Fury Vs Usyk.

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#16

Fury just grapples him until he’s exhausted and knocks him out cold with a single punch. :slight_smile:

#17

Quite frankly up for any Fury v contender at the moment. Interesting to watch.

#18

Imagine if Fury has just stayed at the Kronk when he went across when he was young!

Take it you have all seen Emanuel Stewards interview when he picks both Fury and Wilder as future Heavyweight champs! Crazy prediction! Man I miss him on commentary on the big US fights.

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#19

To be honest I think fury could fight all the top 10 and it wont add to his legacy. In 20 years time the other contenders wont be hardly remembered. There’s only aj usyk left for him. Usyk will probably remembered as best cruiserweight ever. Aj will probably be remembered for getting ko’d by a fat Mexican who has no power. Just my opinion.

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