International Boxing Hall of Famer Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch believes WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury needs to do more to solidify his legacy.
The undefeated Fury 33-0-1 (24) has frustrated many fans throughout his career with talk of retirement and fights that fail to materialise.
The shine came off a showdown with two-time WBA, WBO and IBF champion Anthony Joshua 25-3 (22) after he lost his triple crown to Andy Ruiz Jr 35-2 (22) in June 2019. Although he regained the belts in their immediate rematch, he lost the titles to Ukrainian southpaw Oleksandr Usyk 20-0 (13) two fights later and fell short in their rematch in August last year.
A bout between Fury and former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk was being negotiated for late April with a 70-30 purse split in favour of Fury and a 50-50 split in the rematch if Usyk was successful in the first bout. The 34-year-old Brit baulked at the rematch split and the fight never got made.
Froch, who retired in 2014 with a record of 33-2 (24), is a two-time WBC super middleweight champion. He also unified the WBA and IBF 168-pound crowns in a separate title reign and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame this year.
He says Fury needs more than a 2-0-1 (2) record against former WBC kingpin Deontay Wilder 43-2-1 (42) to cement his legacy.
“I can’t give him a massive legacy” Froch said to William Hill. “He’s fought Deontay Wilder three times and he nearly got done in the first one which was a draw. He nearly got done again in the [third] and it was three great fights against a guy who is not a massive heavyweight.”
Froch believes Usyk is tailor-made for Fury.
“[Fury’s] a massive puncher but because [Usyk’s] not that big and heavy, Tyson Fury can keep him out of the way, lean on him and just control the fight, so it’s quite easy for Fury to do what he does because he’s so big. If he fights Usyk and he fights Joshua and he makes mincemeat of them then he’ll be the best of a generation,” Froch continued.
“If Tyson Fury really wants to fight Oleksandr Usyk, then why is he demanding a 70/30 split and then when it gets agreed turning round and saying that the fight isn’t happening? His bluff was called and he realised he couldn’t get ready in six weeks when he was trying to look like the bigger man.
“I do think Tyson Fury wants to fight Usyk. He’s very confident and he’s got every reason to believe that he can beat Usyk, because he’s twice the size of him and he’s a great fighter. He’s an unbelievable heavyweight.”
As of right now, that fight seems as far away as ever. The 36-year-old Usyk has already moved on in a bid to consolidate his own legacy, with a bout against Daniel ‘Dynamite’ Dubois 19-1 (18) planned for Poland in August.
