Last night, in Manchester England, and in Halle, Germany, two heavyweights sat at ringside as a big fight unfolded, yet neither Tyson Fury nor Wladimir Klitschko was in a position to announce their own next fight. Heavyweight ruler Fury is (or was?) widely expected to face the man he dethroned last November in a summer rematch, as per the written contract. But, as he made clear last night when speaking with Sky Sports, Fury has “no idea” what his next move will or will not be:
“I have no idea when the next fight is, who it is going to be, no idea,” Fury, sporting a shaven head and a full beard, stated. “So that is a bit of an update for everybody. I don’t know who it is going to be, to be honest. I have no confirmation on if it is going to be Klitschko, Fred Flinstone or Batman, I have no idea.”
Fans are at a loss as to what’s going on. Does Klitschko want the rematch, is he training for it, or has the former king who will turn 40 next month quietly decided he has done all he can in the sport? Like Fury, we have no idea. Klitschko looked happy enough, and in good physical shape (isn’t he always) as he watched Marco Huck beat an incredibly brave Ola Afolabi last night, but he had nothing to say about his next move in the ring.
How can Fury get focused and start to train with earnest if he does not know who he is going to be fighting next? It’s already been over three months since the upset win Fury scored over Wladimir, and the big man surely needs to get a date and opponent in mind so he can get back into tip-top shape and not run the risk of losing interest (remember, Fury has already spoken of losing desire and of perhaps walking away). Maybe Klitschko, by comparison, is quietly training as hard as can be and is working on a new approach that he hopes will see him regain his crown against Fury.
In the interest of heavyweight history, we want the rematch to happen. We do not want to be left forever wondering if Fury merely scored a “fluke” win over a fighter he would not have beaten a second time. Of course Fury does not for one second feel this was the case last November, but fans want to see the sequel to make up their own minds.
Let’s hope a confirmed date, and indeed an opponent, is confirmed soon for the reigning heavyweight champion of the world.
