Tyson ‘The Gypsy King’ Fury is a heavyweight boxer and two-time heavyweight champion of the world. Fury has inspired people around the world with his story, in which he struggled with mental health issues that led to alcoholism, recreational drug use and major weight gain but then made a comeback trail that took him all the way to the heavyweight title. This comeback from such a low point in his life has been as impressive as his exploits in the ring, the most notable of these being his trilogy with Deontay Wilder.
Below is a look at the Gypsy King’s return to the ring against Dillian ‘The Body Snatcher’ Whyte, a look at some of the past battles the fighters have been through, the fight odds and what the future holds for Fury after the fight.
Fury versus White
The last time Fury stepped inside a ring for a professional heavyweight fight was against ‘The Bronze Bomber’ Deontay Wilder, which he did in October 2020. The bout was billed as ‘Once and For All’, as it was the third in a series of fights to settle a fierce rivalry and a dispute between the two about who was the best boxer.
When Fury steps into the ring next, it won’t be against the American, however, but against fellow Brit Dillian Whyte, who is the WBC interim heavyweight title holder and a former kickboxer and mixed martial artist.
The clash between the two Brits will take place at Wembley Stadium, in London, UK, on the 21st April. Fight fans can expect the walks to the ring to begin around 10 pm, UK time, which will be roughly 3 am for anyone tuning in from the US.
This will be the first time the two meet in the ring. Negotiations over purses have sometimes seen the deadline for purse bids pushed back and delayed the fight. Fury’s own team have also tried to secure a clash with WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Alexander Osyk, which has also gotten in the way of a fight with Whyte.
The current odds
Tyson Fury is pretty much the complete boxer, so Whyte has a real task on his hands. Experts and many online sports betting operators don’t see Whyte coming up trumps against Fury and he’s much the underdog, with odds of +430 versus Fury’s -630.
That doesn’t mean, by any means, that Fury is going to KO Whyte with the first punch he throws. What the Gypsy King must do, however, is focus. If he grows too complacent, and if Whyte manages to hold his concentration, the underdog may just deliver an upset.
Fury analysis and latest fights
Fury is tall to say the least, towering above many a man at 6’9”, but he has defensive moves that make it difficult to land a clean shot on him. He has immense ring acumen that allows him to go on the attack, either as the aggressor or as the counter-attacker, and he uses his movement to create angles and deliver some surprising strikes.
That being said, Fury isn’t known as a power puncher. His knockouts have come through his ability to go the distance, rather than as explosive hits from out of nowhere. The one thing everyone knows, though, is he has the heart of a champion.
His last three fights have been against Deontay Wilder. In the first one, Fury went the distance and, in the final round, managed to get up from a brutal shot from Wilder. Controversially, the fight was called a draw. But Fury made sure to get the stoppage in the second of their trilogy and again overwhelmed the Bomber in the third fight.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Whyte latest fights and analysis
Just like Fury, White has also had something of a score to settle in past fights. In August 2020, he took on Alexander Povetkin. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a successful defence by the Brit of his WBC interim title. Although he controlled the fight from the outset, knocking the Russian down twice in the fourth round, his opponent came back early in the fifth and delivered a crunching uppercut early that put a halt to the contest.
However, the rematch was back on and took place out in Gibraltar in March 2021. The Brit wasn’t about to let Povetkin keep the WBC interim title though. He served up a technical knockout in the fourth round and flew back to Britain with the belt.
One of Whyte’s main struggles has been mindset. Concentration could be an issue. Whyte will have to show urgency and mental sharpness when the two collide.
The future
This boxing match could be anyone’s fights however the odds are showing that the Gypsy King could be crowned Champion again.
A defeat would be a sad end to the professional career of Fury, who announced that his bout with Whyte would be his last one. The boxer suggested he was happy with the amount of money he’d earned, that he was young and healthy and that he planned to retire after the fight. It would a well-deserved retirement after all the thrills Fury has delivered boxing fans throughout his career.
Fans around the world will be looking forward to seeing the Gypsy King back in the ring and doing what he does best. Although he’s a heavy favourite, anything can happen in boxing and you never know: if Whyte can hold his concentration, he might shock everyone.
