By James Slater – Ever since Tyson Fury opted to vacate the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles instead of defending them against his mandatory, David Price, the critics have claimed unbeaten hope Fury is “ducking” the former Olympian who once defeated him on points in an amateur meeting.
Yet Fury, fresh off his one-sided win over a brave but outgunned Vinny Maddalone, has told The Manchester Evening News that he is not ducking Price at all, and that he will fight him one day – but only when the fight has grown into something big.
“I can see it happening, but it is another fight that I’ve got nothing to gain from,” Fury told the publication. “What will I gain from beating him? Nothing. If one of us won the world title, then it would be a good defence. I don’t think it should be wasted on the British title. It deserves to be a big fight..”
In the old days, the two best British heavyweights would meet, and the winner would go on to bigger fights (with all-British heavyweight match-ups from yesteryear such as Lennox Lewis-Gary Mason proving a big hit with the fans) and if Fury and Price were to meet now, maybe the winner would get more supporters on his side arguing his case for having earned a world title shot. Then again, if two British talents meet when still at the up and coming stage, the loser would be eliminated and Britain would have just one heavyweight hope, not two. Maybe Fury is right, and a fight between he and Price should be allowed time to grow and grow.
But can either guy become a world champion?
Price, by his own admission, is in no rush; saying he needs another 18-months at least before being ready to step in with the Klitschkos. However, Fury has said he believes he can beat Wladimir as he is unlike anyone Klitschko has fought before. “I’m unique,” Fury boasted on Chanel 5. And Fury is definitely on “Dr. Steel Hammer’s” radar:
“I think we could end up fighting very soon,” Wladimir told Chanel 5 of Fury. “Probably in the next year.”
Promoter Mick Hennessey has said he wants a couple more bigger fights for Fury before putting him in with Klitschko – and Tomasz Adamek’s name has been mentioned as Fury’s next foe – but it seems that as long as he keeps his unbeaten record, Fury is on course for a shot against Wladimir. And if Fury were to shock the odds and win that, the fans and critics would never again accuse him of having ducked anyone!