Hell hath no fury like Tyson scorned stopping McDermott in 9

“There’s a lot of people who thought I’d lose this fight, that I’ve only had 10 fights, and I’m only young, but I knew I could do it. Any heavyweight out there I know I can beat them.” Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury came of age last night when he shown grit and determination to out punch, out last and then knockout rival Big John McDermott at 1:08 of the 9th round of this rematch at the Brentwood Centre, Essex, retaining his English heavyweight title in just his 11th pro fight.

The prior anticipation for this contest didn’t disappoint as the two heavyweight bruisers put on another good scrap for the baying Essex, pro McDermott crowd.

Fury coming into this fight at his heaviest weight to date at 270 pounds looked like a man under pressure who had to perform to banish all the bad press, scornes and jibes he as had to face since his controversial first fight win against McDermott last September, with many believing McDermott should have won.

Coming into the ring in his Manchester United football shirt Fury’s demeanour was notably different from the past and he looked more focused although very nervous which was the fuel he needed to get through this fight in the end.

With family connections in his corner in uncle Hughie and dad John, Fury started this fight in a much different fashion than the last, his now high respect for McDermott saw him keep the Essex man on the end of his long poker like jab and used it to great effect to keep a confused looking McDermott at bay for most of the fight until the stoppage.

Fury boxed very well during the opening rounds and although he was at a career heaviest some-how looked in better shape than he had done in the past, be it the new stream line haircut or the all over tan, Fury seemed this time around to have an opening fight plan and was keeping McDermott at bay with a long pearcing jab and was also finding it much easier to drop in the right hand and switch to a slow McDermotts body before he could get his own punches off, and after catching McDermott clean again, Fury celebrated with an Ali shuffle, McDermott landed a good counter right hand near the end of the session but it was a good start to the fight by the Mancunian.

Fury who chose to stand between rounds up until he suffered a cut eye in the 6th round, although his success in the fight, worryingly Fury almost looked at times worried about getting caught, almost gun shy as we used to call it, like a fighter coming off a knockout loss.

Fury took a few good jabs off McDermott at the beginning of round two and had to ship a heavy right hook, but as McDermott tried to get the upper hand Fury put him back on the end of his jab and finished the round well.

Turning southpaw in the third Fury landed some good body shots and began to hurt a tired looking McDermott who began to look a little dejected and out of ideas to Fury’s dominance, McDermott looked tired as he walked back to his corner for new trainer Jim McDonnell to use his famous motivational skills to rev up his charge who before the fight admitted to being a worrier and sometimes doubted himself about his preparations and fitness for fights.

McDermott being the most experienced fighter of the pair has mixed it at an higher level than Fury and having three times as many fights, but it was Fury who was outboxing the veteran who was talking to Fury trying to rattle the younger man using his experience to try and unsettle Fury, who responded with more of the same and at times looked good using nice footwork to give the limited McDermott different angles to deal with.

Fury took the fourth and fifth rounds, although the latter seemed to have caught up with Fury and he began to look tired, his mouth piece hanging out as he went back to his corner.

McDermott’s best round was the sixth when he landed a heavy right hook and although the Mancunian responded with his own counter shots he looked exhausted and held on, pushing on McDermott and holding as the tempo caught up with him and his reported training problems and lack of sparring prior to this fight seemed to have bit Fury on the backside.

He was warned by referee Dave Parris for the constant holding, and finished the sixth with a cut right eye that seemed to throw the sometimes unorthodox Fury off his rhythm, Fury was now blowing hard and was taking in Hugh gulps of air, while hoping to grab his second wind as he hit the stamina wall.

It had now come to the point in the fight where a fighter begins to question his heart and desire to go on, and has the brave McDermott sensed Fury was tired he had his best round and has the crowd went wild in deafening support for McDermott, it was time for Fury to search his soul and his boxers survival spirit as cut man Mick Williamson went to work on the right eye nic.

An exhausted Fury had a point deducted by ref Parris in the seventh for holding and McDermott was now jumping on Fury who was looking out of sorts has he began to look to his corner, McDermott ended the round the better and took the round.

Fury dragged himself slowly from his stool at the start of the eighth, and McDermott started well as Fury tried to get the centre of the ring, it was really hotting up now and credit goes out to both men for the fight they were putting on in the hot cauldron arena that seemed to be getting hotter than the fight. Just has the heads were beginning to bang together Fury unleashed a decisive barrage of punches that dropped McDermott more from fatigued than the power of the punches, as McDermott rose to the count at 6, the bell went to save him from an suspected onslaught from Fury.

McDermott was soon back on the canvas in the ninth from a short chopping right and in the next exchange went down again and staggered to his feet on the count of 10, Fury looked relieved as referee Parris waved it off, with McDermott in no fit state to continue. A delighted and emotional Fury roared his victory relief as he thrown his gumshield into the crowd.

All three judges had the contest 77-73 for Fury going into the ninth round.

The Manchester retaining champion was quick to go to McDermotts corner and embrace Big John and show his admiration and new found respect for the tough never say die Essex man who has done more to bring out the man in Fury and drop the boyish rants than anyone.

Fury, 22, the towering 6ft 9ins tall Mancunian who weighed in at 254lbs on Thursday, turned pro in Dec 2008 after 34 amateur contests accumulating in an ABA heavyweight title has fighting in his blood and holding back the tears Fury who had the look of a man who had just had the pressure valve released went on to pay tribute to his dad and to his team and family for getting him through his difficult periods prior to fight night.

“I just want to say to my Dad (former domestic heavyweight contender John Fury) that I love him and that I hope I’ve done him proud. He tried to win this title against a good man in Henry Akinwande (actually the British) so this title (the English that Fury claimed tonight) is for him right now.”

“I want to tell all my family that I love them. I want to thank (his promoter) Mick Hennessy for believing in me,” continued Fury who promptly planted a big smacker on Hennessy’s temple. “I’ve got to get my hand done (gesturing to his right hand) because I hurt it in about round five but after that I want everybody, I want them all. I want every heavyweight in this country because I know I can do it,” said Tyson with reference to his rival British heavyweight rivals.

“I’ve had about eight rounds of sparring for this fight from my brother Shane, he’s tried to help me but he’s 25 stone. My little cousin Phil’s about 11 stone and that (sparring) is all I’ve had. I’d also like to thank Melton Mowbray and Paul Butlin for helping me out even though he’s no good,” joked Fury afterwards.

“I’m really happy first four rounds I was behind the jab,” Fury told Sky Sports. “But the heat in here was very, very hot and I was knackered. I was very tired and my legs were very tired.

“But there’s something inside me that thought I’m not quitting here – and I knew I had the power to knock him out. Fair play to John McDermott for fighting me again but I knew I could do it.

“There’s a lot of people who thought I’d lose this fight, that I’ve only had 10 fights, and I’m only young, but I knew I could do it. Any heavyweight out there I know I can beat them.”

Tyson Fury without doubt a good talent and a potential British champion in the making. But if he is to progress further and climb through the heavyweight ranks and past the domestic level he needs to go right back to the drawing board and the gym after his rest.

Without any disrespect to his new trainer uncle Hughie who it seem’s as been a stop gap before in between trainers of Fury’s it is uncertain if he is the man to take him to the next level of professional boxing? having said that Hughie and John Fury held his corner well and motivated him when he needed it, and Fury may be comfortable with them.

Fury’s lack of sparring for this fight obviously wasn’t good preparation and as well as last minute trainer changes, things just don’t seem right around Fury’s boxing career and it is time for him to find a trainer that will school and mould his existing talents, skills, strength, height and fighting spirit into a finally tuned heavyweight.

Maybe a phone call to Manny Steward, Freddy Roach or another US trainer would be a good move for team Fury and he would undoubtedly get the sparring he seems to not be able to find here, Fury as even resorted to paying sparring partners over the odds in the past, even offered a £10,000 challenge to any sparring partner who could knock him down, first to offer his services was heavyweight Derek Chisora, although it never happened the two get to meet for real next time out, TBA.

And if Fury decides he doesn’t want to up root his wife and child from Manchester then there are a few local trainers who might be worth giving a ring and they are Joe Gallagher and Bob Shannon two men who have recently continued Manchester’s boxing traditions by churning out some good fighters notably John Murray, and are coaches that certainly keep there fighters on there toes, which was one of the problems Fury accused of not having under Brian Hughes.

The simple fact for Fury is that if he hasn’t got the motivation to get himself to the gym and be his own motivator, then it doesn’t matter who trains him, if this fight against McDermott isn’t the kick up the backside Fury needed to take the fight game and his potentially bright career seriously, control the weight and get in shape for championship distance fights, then he never will.

Fury’s still only 21-years-old, is undefeated in 11 fights with 9KO’s and in just 18 month’s as a professional becomes the mandatory for Derek Chisora’s British heavyweight title. McDermott drops to(30 wins -7 losses, 16 KO’s) and it looks unlikely where John goes from here although if Fury steps up to fight for the British title he could possibly contend that with one of other up and coming heavyweights who also graced last nights bill, namely David Price, Tom Dallas and Larry Olubamiwo?

UNDERCARD

Larry Olubamiwo KO 1 Dave Ferguson
Tom Dallas dec 6 Daniil Peretyatko

David Price KO 1 Pavol Polakovic

The British heavyweight scene is hotting up! Yours views please?