THE former heavyweight king Tyson Fury has returned. He lost his world titles without a fight. Resolving an anti-doping violation and grappling with personal issues kept him out of the ring. His weight also ballooned, reportedly reaching 27 stone.
Now he is coming back. On Saturday he boxes little known Albanian Sefer Seferi at the Manchester. On Friday afternoon Fury weighed in at The Great Northern amphitheatre, Deansgate. He looked in vastly better shape today, though still fleshy, weighing in at 276lbs 2oz, a career heaviest for him
His opponent weighed 210lbs 2oz. Seferi is dwarfed by Fury. Tyson towered over him at their face off. To emphasise his superior size Fury swept Seferi off his feet and held him in his arms. The two then embraced. Responding in good spirits Seferi lifted Tyson up, as though to prove he too was strong enough to raise the big man. Then, grinning broadly Fury turned to the crowd to bellow, “It’s on.”
Fury has insisted that the Albanian is dangerous for a comeback opponent. “If he has knocked out 21 men before, if he gets it on my chin he will knock me out too,” Tyson has said. “I look at Sefer like I look at Wladimir Klitschko, Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, anybody. He’s a dangerous puncher.
“I could have picked someone a lot easier than Sefer; someone to knock out in a round. But I need rounds.”
Fury promises he will be in good form for the fight. “I don’t ever remember feeling any better than I do now. I feel sharper now, faster than I’ve ever been, more power, I just want it more,” he says.
There’s nothing left to do now but prove it.
