Heavyweights Collide in Manchester: Breaking Down the Parker-Fury Fight

Published

7 years ago

September 21, 2017

This weekend in the UK’s Manchester Arena, beltholder Joseph Parker (23-0) and rookie Hughie Fury (20-0) are set to squabble over a bauble sanctioned by a rankings organization that sees Christian Hammer as the world’s number two heavyweight contender.

As a heavyweight championship match it is a bad joke; as a crossroads fight for two of the division’s brightest prospects it is a deeply compelling meeting of styles and character.

If Tyson Fury was the unwanted stepchild of British boxing, Hughie’s position is even less enviable: the unwanted stepchild’s cousin. Hailing from the proud Fury fighting clan, Hughie is son to Peter, the unlikely but brilliant mastermind of Tyson’s rise to heavyweight title and the strategist who engineered Tyson’s brilliant championship winning performance. Tyson and Hughie have both described the other as more akin to a brother than a cousin, but it is a fact that Hughie has labored in his larger cousin’s larger shadow. Lyrical and controversial outbursts have assured the more experienced Fury more column inches than his less colorful, better adjusted younger relative.

Joseph Parker, too, has been too consistently reasonable to make major headlines. In the Antipodes he is a hero, his recent (narrow) victory over Andy Ruiz which saw him throw aloft the strap that is on the line this Saturday, saw a national holiday declared in his native New Zealand; in Europe and the US he is far from a household name.

At first glance, this seems unjust. At 6’4, 240lbs, Parker looks the part and he has scored eighteen knockouts in twenty-three outings. Parker’s resume, although not overwhelming, is decent, with key victories over Kali Meehan and Carlos Takam coming prior to his title victory. But it is that title victory which has defined him, and Parker was underwhelming against Andy Ruiz. Writing for this website in the wake of that fight, I called him “unnecessarily cautious” during what was a “turgid” fight.

Fair enough; these things happen – but I also observed that Parker now had the chance to prove his character by meeting some off the world’s best heavyweights. This, the New Zealander has failed to do.

His first defense was a pitiful affair although there were mitigating circumstances. None other than Hughie Fury was due to travel to New Zealand to match Parker in his homecoming fight but the fly in that particular ointment was Peter Fury’s checkered past which his seen him twice sentenced to prison for drugs related offences. This led to difficulties with his being admitted to the country, and it is perhaps not cynical to suggest that it was this rather than a purported back injury suffered by Hughie that led to the fight being cancelled.

Rather than abandon the promotion for what was a colossal fight in New Zealand, Parker’s people fished around for another opponent and hooked one Razvan Cojanu, 16-2, out of Romania. Cojanu had recently been stopped in two rounds by retired American journeyman Donovan Davis and had never completed the twelve round distance.

Such an opponent – the new answer to the question, who is the worst fighter ever to have fought for a heavyweight title? – is perhaps excusable in the circumstances, but Parker’s inability to knock him out was not. Cojanu made the twelve, losing a one-sided decision in another dull fight, one that did nothing to endear Parker to boxing fans, and especially not to fans of the heavies. His quickness of hand is undeniable, but he was pushing out snippy, torqueless punches that appeared to glance at and slip off a relatively guileless opponent throughout. Parker was suddenly the belt-holder everyone wanted to fight and in a division that contains perennial ticket-puncher Deontay Wilder, that is quite an achievement.

What then, of Hughie Fury’s chances?

In a sense, Hughie is a perfect opponent for Parker. He can dig, but he’s no puncher, stopping only ten of twenty men, and solid chins, even when they’re attached only to less-than-good fighters, hold his shots with ease. But he lands a lot of them. And there’s more.

Hughie has been plagued brutally by a skin condition called “acne conglobata”. According to medscape.com the condition is characterized by “burrowing and interconnecting abscesses and irregular scars.” When Hughie reported to a skin specialist in the wake of a lackluster performance against Fred Kassi in April of last year, he claims the specialist told him that the disease had been “poisoning his body.” This made sense to the fighter, who claims he felt his “legs had gone” and he “couldn’t lift up my hands” in what did indeed appear to be a lackluster performance.

As a subplot, this intrigues. There is nothing like a new lease of life in an underdog in fostering a shock. Think of Bernard Hopkins unshackled from the middleweight limit in his mauling of Antonio Tarver or the motivational promise Buster Douglas gave his departed mother in the run-up to his famous clash with Mike Tyson.

Stylistically, Hughie will likely have to prepare himself to be hunted. This fight has value because it presents a legitimate technical test for both men. Hughie may be more lightly regarded than Ruiz was when Parker took a majority decision from him, but he is also a very different sort of fighter. While Ruiz was willing to mix it, Hughie will probably look to remain outside, to bring Parker onto him. A limber style barracked by a stiff jab and some very relaxed – some say too relaxed – footwork makes defense his first line of defense, and attack, something he probably needs to intensify. An accurate left and a nice line in counter-punches thrown with the right probably won’t cut it at the highest level. Still, I have a feeling that a healthy Hughie will fight up to the level of a good opponent and that he has, so far, fought within himself for the most part. Combined with new reserves of energy, Fury could be about to spring a surprise. A win propels him by definition to world level, and that means one thing: a fight (eventually) with the king, Anthony Joshua. That in turn means a British superfight and millions.

Parker, for his part, must be watching footage of Fury’s languid movement and low hands with great interest. Parker has quick fists and if there’s one thing dumber than wearing low hands with a big puncher it’s wearing low hands with a quick puncher. For a man of his size his speed is really quite surprising and for all that Hughie has genuinely quick reactions, I can’t see him keeping out of trouble throughout if he doesn’t augment his style. Peter Fury, of course, is perfectly capable of springing a surprise, so it is far from impossible that the Hughie we get this Saturday night brings something unexpected to the table, but assuming he reverts to type, Parker’s big problem is going to be walking Hughie down.

Fighting with a reported 4” reach deficit, it is impossible to overestimate how important Parker’s footwork is in this match. Unable to consistently corner Cojanu, he is unlikely to be able to consistently corner Hughie, presuming, that is, Hughie cedes the center of the ring. This makes for a classic bull matador where the matador displays a coolness beyond his years and the bull has a patience and quickness of hands belied by his physicality.

It’s a heady combination that might just make for an excellent fight. Beyond the expected, there is the unexpected, prompted not just by the dark genius of Peter Fury but by the determination of Parker to make a name for himself. Britain is a place he sees himself settling as a fighter if he can find a way past Hughie, and in Tony Bellew, Dillian Whyte and, most of all, Joshua, he has a series of targets that cannot fail to make him both rich and famous – if he keeps winning.

I suspect that he will keep winning, or at least that he will win on Saturday night. Hughie is intriguing and I suspect he may have more improving to do than Parker but he is also the more inexperienced at this level and has been inactive in the ring over the past eighteen months. We should see a decision here, barring unexpected fight plans, and ring-rust might cost the Brit the contest. A fast start is a must but it is also a big ask for a man who has boxed seven rounds since out-pointing a washed up Dominic Guinn in April of 2016.

So while it may be a little shameful that the contest is being fought for the supposed heavyweight championship of the world, it is a cracking little fight that should deliver up a legitimate player at the highest levels and, even better, leaves behind a defeated man who will have more than enough time to rebuild a career that will be far from shattered.

I would suggest it is worth catching.

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel.

To comment on this article at The Fight Forum, CLICK HERE.

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Matt McGrain

Up Next

In a Shocking Development, Andre Ward Calls it Quits

Don't Miss

Remembering Jake LaMotta….one of Boxing’s Most Colorful Characters

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

Published

2 days ago

November 3, 2024

David A. Avila

Floyd-Schofield-Wins-a-Banger-and Gabriella-Fundora-Wins-by-KO

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

LAS VEGAS-Shades of Henry Armstrong and Baby Arizmendi. If you don’t know those names, look them up.

Floyd Schofield battled his way past Mexico’s super tough Rene Tellez Giron who walked through every blow the Texan could fire but lost by decision on Saturday.

It was a severe test and perfect matchmaking for Schofield who yearns for the big bouts against the lightweight giants roaming the world.

Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) remains undefeated and won the war over thick-necked Mexican Tellez Giron (20-4, 13 KOs) who has never been knocked out and proved to be immune to big punches.

In the opening rounds, the Texas fighter came out firing rapid combinations from the southpaw and orthodox stances. Meanwhile the shorter Tellez Giron studied and fired back an occasional counter for two rounds.

Tellez Giron had seen enough and took his stand in the third stanza. Both unleashed blazing bombs with Schofield turning his back to the Mexican. At that moment referee Tom Taylor could have waved the fight over.

You never turn your back.

The fight resumed and Schofield was damaged. He tried to open up with even more deadly fire but was rebuked by the strong chin of Tellez Giron who fired back in the mad frenzy.

For the remainder of the fight Schofield tried every trick in his arsenal to inflict damage on the thick-necked Mexican. He could not be wobbled. In the 11^th round both opened up with serious swing-from-the-heels combinations and suddenly Schofield was looking up. He beat the count easily and the two remained slugging it out.

“He hit me with a good shot,” Schofield said of the knockdown. “I just had to get up. I’m not going to quit.”

In the final round Schofield moved around looking for the proper moment to engage. The Mexican looked like a cat ready to pounce and the two fired furious blows. Neither was hit with the big bombs in the last seconds.

There was Tellez Giron standing defiantly like Baby Arizmendi must have stood in those five ferocious meetings against the incomparable Henry Armstrong. Three of their wars took place in Los Angeles, two at the Olympic Auditorium in the late 1930s as the U.S. was emerging from the Great Depression.

In this fight, Schofield took the win by unanimous decision by scores 118-109 twice and 116-111. It was well-deserved.

“I tried to bang it out,” said Schofield. “Today I learned you can’t always get the knockout.”

Fundora

IBF flyweight titlist Gabriela Fundora needed seven rounds to figure out the darting style of Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz before firing a laser left cross down the middle to end the battle and become the undisputed flyweight world champion.

Fundora now holds all four titles including the WBO, WBA and WBC titles that Alaniz brought in the ring.

Fundora knocked down Alaniz midway through the seventh round. She complained it was due to a tangle of the legs. Several seconds later Fundora blasted the Argentine to the floor again with a single left blast. This time there was no doubt. Her corner wisely waved a white towel to stop the fight at 1:40 of the seventh round.

No one argued the stoppage.

Other Bouts

Bektemir Melikuziev (15-1, 10 KOs) didn’t make weight in a title bout but managed to out-fight David Stevens (14-2, 10 KOs) in a super middleweight fight held at 12 rounds.

Melikuziev used his movement and southpaw stance to keep Pennsylvania’s Stevens from being able to connect with combinations. But Stevens did show he could handle “The Bully’s” punching power over the 12-round fight.

After 12 rounds one judge favored Stevens 116-112, while two others saw Melikuziev the winner by split decision 118-110 and 117-111.

Super middleweight WBA titlist Darius Fulghum (13-0, 11 KOs) pummeled his way to a technical knockout win over southpaw veteran Chris Pearson (17-5-1, 12 KOs) who attempted the rope-a-dope strategy to no avail.

Fulghum floored Pearson in the first round with a four-punch combination and after that just belted Pearson who covered up and fired an occasional blow. Referee Mike Perez stopped the fight at 1:02 of the third round when Pearson did not fire back after a blazing combination.

Young welterweight prospect Joel Iriarte (5-0, 5 KOs) blasted away at the three-inch shorter Xavier Madrid (5-6, 2 KOs) who hung tough for as long as possible. At 2:50 of the first round a one-two delivered Madrid to the floor and referee Thomas Taylor called off the beating.

Iriarte, from Bakersfield, Calif., could not miss with left uppercuts and short rights as New Mexico’s Madrid absorbed every blow but would not quit. It was just too much firepower from Iriarte that forced the stoppage.

Photos credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Results and Recaps from Turning Stone where O’Shaquie Foster Nipped Robson Conceicao

Published

2 days ago

November 2, 2024

Arne K. Lang

Results-and-Recaps-from-Turning-Stone-where-O'Shaquie-Foster-Nipped-Robson-Conceicao

Top Rank was at the Turning Stone casino-resort in Verona, New York, tonight with an 8-bout card topped by a rematch between Robson Conceicao and O’Shaquie Foster with the victor retaining or recapturing his IBF world junior lightweight title. When the smoke cleared, the operative word was “recapturing” as Foster became a two-time title-holder, avenging his controversial setback to the Brazilian in Newark on July 6.

This was a somewhat better fight than their initial encounter and once again the verdict was split. Foster prevailed by 115-113 on two of the cards with the dissenting judge favoring Conceicao by the same margin. Conceicao seemingly had the edge after nine frames, but Foster, a 4/1 favorite, landed the harder shots in the championship rounds.

It was the thirteenth victory in the last 14 starts for Foster who fights out of Houston. A two-time Olympian and 2016 gold medalist, the 36-year-old Conceicao is 19-3-1 overall and 1-3-1 in world title fights.

Semi-wind-up

SoCal lightweight Raymond Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) made a big jump in public esteem and moved one step closer to a world title fight with a second-round blast-out of Jose Antonio Perez who was on the canvas twice but on his feet when the fight was stopped at the 1:24 mark of round two. Muratalla, a product of Robert Garcia’s boxing academy, is ranked #2 by the WBC and WBO. A Tijuana native, Perez (25-6) earned this assignment with an upset of former Olympian and former 130-pound world titlist Jojo Diaz,

Other Bouts

Syracuse junior welterweight Bryce Mills, a high-pressure fighter with a strong local following, stopped scrawny Mike O’Han Jr whose trainer Mark DeLuca pulled him out after five one-sided rounds. Mills improved to 17-1 (6 KOs). It was another rough day at the office for Massachusetts house painting contractor O’’Han (19-4) who had the misfortune of meeting Abdullah Mason in his previous bout.

In a junior lightweight fight that didn’t heat up until late in the final round, Albany’s Abraham Nova (23-3-1) and Tijuana native Humberto Galindo (14-3-3) fought to a 10-round draw. It was another close-but-no- cigar for the likeable Nova who at least stemmed a two-fight losing streak. The judges had it 97-93 (Galindo), 96-94 (Nova) and 95-95.

Twenty-one-year-old Long Island middleweight Jahi Tucker advanced to 13-1-1 (6 KOs) with an eighth-round stoppage of Stockton’s teak-tough but outclassed Quilisto Madera (14-6). Madera was on a short leash after five rounds, but almost took it to the final bell with the referee intervening with barely a minute remaining in the contest. Madera was on his feet when the match was halted. Earlier in the round, Tucker had a point deducted for hitting on the break.

Danbury, Connecticut heavyweight Ali Feliz, one of two fighting sons of journeyman heavyweight Fernely Feliz, improved to 4-0 (3) with a second-round stoppage of beefy Rashad Coulter (5-5). Feliz had Coulter pinned against the ropes and was flailing away when the bout was halted at the 1:34 mark. The 42-year-old Coulter, a competitor in all manner of combat sports, hadn’t previously been stopped when competing as a boxer.

Featherweight Yan Santana dominated and stopped Mexico’s Eduardo Baez who was rescued by referee Charlie Fitch at the 1:57 mark of round four. It was the 12^th knockout in 13 starts for Santana, a 24-year-old Dominican father of three A former world title challenger, Mexicali’s Baez declines to 23-7-2 but has lost six of his last eight.

In his most impressive showing to date, Damian Knyba, a six-foot-seven Pole, knocked out paunchy Richard Lartey at the 2:10 mark of round three. A right-left combination knocked Lartey into dreamland, but it was the right did the damage and this was of the nature of a one-punch knockout. Referee Ricky Gonzalez waived the fight off without starting a count.

Knyba, 28, improved to 14-0 (8 KOs). A native of Ghana coming off his career-best win, a fourth-round stoppage of Polish veteran Andrzej Wawrzyk, Lartey declined to 16-7 with his sixth loss inside the distance.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Avila Perspective, Chap. 303: Spotlights on Lightweights and More

Published

3 days ago

November 1, 2024

David A. Avila

Avila-Perspective-Chap-303-Spotlights-on-Lightweights-and-More

Those lightweights.

Whether junior lights, super lights or lightweights, it’s the 130-140 divisions where most of boxing’s young stars are found now or in the past.

Think Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather.

Floyd Schofield (17-0, 12 KOs) a Texas product, hungers to be a star and takes on Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron (20-3, 13 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight bout on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotion card that includes a female undisputed flyweight championship match pitting Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz and Gabriela Fundora.

Like a young lion looking to flex, Schofield (pictured on the left) is eager to meet all the other young lions and prove they’re not equal.

“I’ve been in the room with Shakur, Tank. I want to give everyone a good fight. I feel like my preparation is getting better, I work hard, I’ve dedicated my whole life to this sport,” said Schofield naming fellow lightweights Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta “Tank” Davis.

Now he meets Mexico’s Tellez who has never been stopped.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” said Tellez.

Even in Las Vegas.

Verona, New York

Meanwhile, in upstate New York, a WBC junior lightweight title rematch finds Robson Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs) looking to prove superior to former titlist O’Shaquie Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank fight card.

Last July, Conceicao and Foster clashed and after 12 rounds the title changed hands from Foster to the Brazilian by split decision.

“I feel that a champion is a fighter who goes out there and doesn’t run around, who looks for the fight, who tries to win, and doesn’t just throw one or two punches and then moves away,” said Conceicao.

Foster disagrees.

“I hope he knows the name of the game is to hit and not get hit. That’s the name of the game,” said Foster.

Also on the same card is lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla (21-0, 16 KOs) who fights Mexico’s Jesus Perez Campos (25-5, 18 KOs).

Perez recently defeated former world champion Jojo Diaz last February in California.

“We’re made for challenges. I like challenges,” said Perez.

Muratalla likes challenges too.

“I think these fights are the types of fights I need to show my skills and to prove I deserve those title fights,” said Fontana’s Muratalla.

Female Undisputed Flyweight Championship

WBA, WBC and WBO flyweight titlist Gabriela “La Chucky” Alaniz (15-1, 6 KOs meets IBF titlist Gabriela Fundora (14-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. DAZN will stream the clash for the undisputed flyweight championship.

Argentina’s Alaniz clashed twice against former WBA, WBC champ Marlen Esparza with their first encounter ending in a dubious win for the Texas fighter. In fact, three of Esparza’s last title fights were scored controversially.

But against Alaniz, though they fought on equal terms, Esparza was given a 99-91 score by one of the judges though the world saw a much closer contest. So, they fought again, but the rematch took place in California. Two judges deemed Alaniz the winner and one Esparza for a split-decision win.

“I’m really happy to be here representing Argentina. We are ready to fight. Nothing about this fight has to do with Marlen. So, I hope she (Fundora) is ready. I am ready to prepare myself for the great fight of my life,” said Alaniz.

In the case of Fundora, the extremely tall American fighter at 5’9” in height defeated decent competition including Maria Santizo. She was awarded a match with IBF flyweight titlist Arely Mucino who opted for the tall youngster over the dangerous Kenia Enriquez of Mexico.

Bad choice for Mucino.

Fundora pummeled the champion incessantly for five rounds at the Inglewood Forum a year ago. Twice she battered her down and the fight was mercifully stopped. Fundora’s arm was raised as the new champion.

Since that win Fundora has defeated Christina Cruz and Chile’s Daniela Asenjo in defense of the IBF title. In an interesting side bit: Asenjo was ranked as a flyweight contender though she had not fought in that weight class for seven years.

Still, Fundora used her reach and power to easily handle the rugged fighter from Chile.

Immediately after the fight she clamored for a chance to become undisputed.

“It doesn’t get better than this, especially being in Las Vegas. This is the greatest opportunity that we can have,” said Fundora.

It should be exciting.

Fights to Watch

Sat. ESPN+ 2:50 p.m. Robson Conceicao (19-2-1) vs O’Shaquie Foster (22-3).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Floyd Schofield (17-0) vs Rene Tellez Giron (20-3); Gabriela Alaniz (15-1) vs Gabriela Fundora (14-0).

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!