Tyson Fury

[mickd1961]

The chap doesn’t look like an athlete but he’s a masterful boxer, technically the best since Ali in my opinion and he can punch on a par with the best of all time.

I reckon Ali at his best and Fury at his best would’ve been a magnificent fight.

Maybe Ali’s speed and fitness in his early years would make him the winner but if you put them together at the same age in their 30’s I’d take Fury to win.

He’s a gob s h y t e but he backs it up.

[WBA1955]

Boxing is my second favourite sport after football.
The sport itself hasn't changed but the physique of the boxers certainly has. Rocky Marciano wasn't a tall guy, but had the heart of a Lion and had to take punishment to get in close enough to knock out opponents.
Ali at 6'4" had the height and reach advantage over a lot of opponents, and Henry Cooper wouldn't have been classed as a heavyweight these days.
Today's boxers are giants, The Kiltchko's, Deontay Wilder, and Antony Joshua are all around 6'7" while Tyson Fury is 6'9".
While it may be true about the bigger they are the harder they fall, it's certainly true that they hit you a lot harder. A good big one has always been better than a good little one.
There will always be arguments about who was the greatest ever, they will never be answered which makes the sport all the more fascinating. My all-time favourite has always been Ali, but I agree with Mick that he would struggle against some of today's monsters.
If you ask me who the greatest boxer of all time was, I would say the middleweight Sugar Ray Robinson.

[abbobrom]

Tyson Fury is related to Bartley Gorman who was the champion bare Knuckle Gypsy fighter. Bartley hailed from Uttoxeter and his children still live there. There is some film of Bartley on U Tube and there is a book about his life. Well worth a read if you can get hold of a copy. Several references in the book to the Lee family in Wales. The Lees are often mentioned in Peaky Blinders.

[TipperaryBaggie]

Feel sorry for the people who paid to watch that fight on Saturday. Six rounds of cuddling, more akin to Strictly Come Dancing, then one decent punch. An absolute farce in my opinion.

[Omegstrat6]

My late grandad was a keen fan of the sport and a decent amateur boxer himself. He always rated Jack Dempsey I remember but he was just a little before my time 😄. I used to follow the sport myself but rarely watch now as it has changed so much. Like 55 my favourite was always Ali but Sugar Ray Robinson was probably the true "greatest".

Heavyweights are undoubtedly much bigger these days but that certainly doesn't mean that they are technically as good -or better-as those of yesteryear and have a lot of sympathy with Tipp's point of view. Fury undoubtedly has both grit and power but these sort of fights aren't "proper" boxing to me as not enough movement and more like just watching two behemoths slugging it out.

[Omegstrat6]

Tyson Fury is related to Bartley Gorman who was the champion bare Knuckle Gypsy fighter. Bartley hailed from Uttoxeter and his children still live there. There is some film of Bartley on U Tube and there is a book about his life. Well worth a read if you can get hold of a copy. Several references in the book to the Lee family in Wales. The Lees are often mentioned in Peaky Blinders.

Have heard of Gorman but didn't know that much about him. Just checked out some stuff on YouTube on him including a couple of interviews and quite interesting. Thanks for posting!

[WBA1955]

Tyson Fury is related to Bartley Gorman who was the champion bare Knuckle Gypsy fighter. Bartley hailed from Uttoxeter and his children still live there. There is some film of Bartley on U Tube and there is a book about his life. Well worth a read if you can get hold of a copy. Several references in the book to the Lee family in Wales. The Lees are often mentioned in Peaky Blinders.

I read Bartley Gormans book years ago, very enjoyable. When we had our caravan in Wales we often passed the hill his ashes were scattered on.

[soulman101]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB0_QEh-KVs

[abbobrom]

In the second film you hear Bartley talk to Shane. Shane Meadows is a Uttoxeter lad, he was the Producer of the "This is England" films. Rumour was that he was going to make a feature film about the life of Bartley Gorman, but I understand the family were not to keen on the project. It would be a good film because every film Shane makes are very good, gritty and down to earth.