Tyson Fury said today the 10-fight deal that Saudi official Turki Alalshikh is interested in giving him will make him boxing’s first “billionaire.” That’s a lot of money for a fighter who isn’t considered entertaining inside the ring compared to other fighters.
For the Saudis to throw a billion at Fury, they could be wasting their money and stuck with a washed-up fighter they can’t put in with anyone good without him getting royally thrashed.
Fury’s last fight against Francis Ngannou should have been enough to scare away the Saudis, but it hasn’t for some reason. When I saw the fight, I thought to myself, ‘Look at this fat mess getting humiliated by a rank amateur.’
Is Fury Star Already Fading?
Tyson is seen by knowledgeable fans as a fading fighter on his last legs. His decline has particularly been obscured by the match-making done for him. Fury hasn’t fought anyone good since his fight with Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, and the management has been very careful in his last three fights, putting him in with these guys:
– Francis Ngannou: Boxing newbie
– Dereck Chisora: Journeyman at best
– Dillian Whyte: See above
Do you think it’s just an accident that Fury’s management has matched him against these three soft jobs? Think again. That’s skilled matchmaking that has likely saved Fury from getting beaten repeatedly.
Fury’s Limited Appeal
Also, his popular in the UK but not in the U.S., and his fights are generally boring, mauling affairs with weak punches and a lot of dull wrestling. I wouldn’t give Fury a shilling if I were Alalshikh, but that’s me. I like quality fights, grappling, and rabbit punches.
Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs), the WBC heavyweight champion, didn’t say how long the ten-fight deal would last. Will it last into Fury’s golden years?
Fury has fought ten times since 2018 in the last six years. If he maintains that activity pattern, he’ll finish his ten-fight contract with the Saudis in 2030 and be 41 years old. Tyson has become sluggish and slow on his feet since his best career win over Wladimir Klitschko, and it’s only going to get worse. The sprightly footwork Fury had against Klitschko. Long gone.
Alalshikh: Beware of Buyer’s Remorse
Considering how poor Fury looked in his last fight against Francis Ngannou, Turki Alalshikh could be stuck with a real lemon and regret giving him the contract.
If you’re Alalshikh, you’re going to want to insert an escape clause in the contract to let him out if Fury’s career suddenly nosedives with him losing repeated fights against Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua, and whatever random heavyweight that he’s matched with.
Fury’s Still Got the Gift of Gab
“It’s absolutely unbelievable. I’m definitely on course to be the first boxing billionaire,” said Tyson Fury to the media, talking about His Excellency Turki Alalshikh being interested in fighting another ten fights.
“I’m on course for it, I’m looking forward to it, and I’m delighted by all the good news that keeps coming my way. I’m not cheap. I’m probably the highest paid. If you want something good, you’ve got to pay for it, don’t you?
“I’ll beat Oleksandr Usyk. If I can’t beat Oleksandr Usyk, just say I’m not good,’ said Fury.
