Peter Fury, the uncle of Tyson Fury, says that his nephew could have used a bit more ringcraft in his first-ever professional defeat earlier this month.
Fury was defeated by split decision by Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia a couple of weekends ago, with the Ukrainian becoming the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in more than a quarter of a century in the process.
And in the defeat, Fury didn’t make the most of his natural advantages against Usyk, Peter Fury, who coached Tyson earlier in his career, told October Red.
“I thought it was a good fight, he done the best he can do, and that’s all you can ask for,” Peter Fury said of the fight. “He is an exceptional world champion Usyk, I’ve always said this guy is a great fighter, he’s the best Tyson has been up against, that’s for sure.
“But it was a close fight, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes, where do you get humbleness from, a loss, and what is a loss? They’re both ok, they both got handsomely paid for it, get back in there and avenge your loss.”
But despite these ebbs and flows, Peter Fury had some questions about the strategy that was employed on the night.
“He was a big man and he never used his tools,” he said of Tyson. “I thought there was a lot wrong with it, but that’s my opinion. I think they got the tactics wrong and the game plan all wrong and that’s what I think of it, but still it was a good fight to watch.
“I can see what people are saying but did Tyson have it in his tank to come out and give an avalanche of shots or was he so tired he was getting through it?”
Peter Fury, who was alongside Tyson for his world title win against Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, said that Tyson should have been advised to go for broke in the 12th — after Tyson had revealed in the post-fight presser that he was told he by his corner that he was leading the fight heading into the final frame.
“When we fought Wladimir Klitschko, coming into the 12th round I said we’re in a strange country, he’s got all the belts, it’s his network, I think you’re winning it wide but get out there and try and stop him, that’s your call, because we could get robbed on points,” he said.
“My advice would have been I don’t care if you’re on one leg and dying, get in there and go out on your back, put it on him, that’s what should have happened in the corner, but that’s just me.”
He added: “There should only be one man in the corner, there shouldn’t be three or four. Some are too emotional in the corner and some are giving the wrong advice. I think the only one that spoke a little bit of sense in the last dying stretch of it was SugarHill, who said put it on him.
“When you go into fights, it doesn’t matter who it is, it could be a family member, but you’ve got to give precise clear information, and the thing I always say to the fighter is ‘are you listening, do you understand what I’ve just told you to do?’
“There were too many people, but maybe Tyson wants that I don’t know, it’s been years since dealings with me. I don’t know what the situation is but clearly for me the game plan was wrong and only one should be speaking. How can you listen to all that? It’s going a bit panicky and it’s all over the place.
“I’ve always said I can’t be bought in boxing. If someone is talking in the corner, I’d say shut your f**king mouth now or get out the back. It’s happened before.
“I’m not having anything go on in that corner. You’re the bucket man, you wash the gumshield out, you wipe his head down, do not speak. That’s their instruction, and if they speak, when they get back to the dressing room, sacked on the spot. You’ve got to have a professional corner.”
