British Boxing: Team Fury Claims Olubamiwo, Maloney Ducking Out Of Challenge

Heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury has called Frank Maloney’s bluff after the promoter challenged him to fight his prospect, Larry Olubamiwo.

The 6 foot 9 inch Fury has won his two professional contests to date with impressive stoppages against European opposition and faces Russian Daniel Peret next time out in Norwich on February 28, live on ITV4.

Fury has had to look outside Britain again after a series of domestic rivals rejected the fight including Olubamiwo and “Prizefighter” champ, Sam Sexton. Olubamiwo, who calls himself the “War Machine” is unbeaten in his three pro fights but his victims had a less than impressive combined record of just 11 wins from their 93 pro fights. Despite Maloney’s talk, Olubamiwo clearly wasn’t ready to go to war with Fury.

Fury’s trainer and uncle, Hughie Fury, explained, “We read a piece after Olubamiwo’s fight last month that Frank Maloney was going around shouting, ‘Bring on Tyson Fury’. I thought great, here’s a British fighter who’s not afraid to take on Tyson. So I rang Maloney up and told him that if his man wanted it, he could have it for February 28th in Norwich.

“He started backing down straight away and said he was actually talking about 18 months down the line. What’s he on about? His man is already gone 30, so what’s the point in waiting another year and a half for the fight to happen. That’s the difference between Tyson and these other guys, when he says he wants a fight, he wants it.

“Frank says he has the best heavyweight prospects in the UK, with guys like Olubamiwo, Scott Belshaw and Tom Dallas. Well, if Olubamiwo isn’t ready, why doesn’t he turn up with one of his other heavyweight prospects for Tyson’s fight in Birmingham on March 14th?

“Sam Sexton was the same, I believe he was moaning that he never gets to fight at home in Norwich, so when Tyson offered him the chance to fight him at the Norfolk Showground’s there on February 28th, all we heard back was excuses.

“We talk about fighting these guys because we want to fight them, but you get other people talking about it just to get a headline for their man. We want a British title shot and beating any of these other British fighters is the quickest route to that. We’d rather fight anyone in Britain sooner than these Eastern Europeans, but at the moment they’re the only guys who will step up to the plate and fight Tyson.

“People say we’re trying to rush him, but some fighters have enough class that they can be pushed on quickly. Anyway, it’s not like we’re calling out the Klitschkos or anything. We’ve only mentioned the British heavyweights and let’s be honest, it’s a dead division at the moment. He’s sparred some of the top heavyweights around and none of them have bothered him, so we know what he’s capable of. That’s why we want a British title shot as soon as possible.

“Part of the problem is to get sparing. In the amateurs, we travelled around to spar with a lot of these guys. The sparring was enough to put them off. They all know they wouldn’t last in a fight with Tyson, so they’re all running ‘down the line’.”

Fury’s promoter Mick Hennessy revealed, “Tyson’s only had two fights but, I believe the rest of the British heavyweight contenders are already running for cover. Peret should be a good yardstick for him because he’s already beaten Scott Belshaw and has never been stopped by any of the other British heavyweights he’s fought, like John McDermott or Derek Chisora.”

Featuring on the exciting undercard: Danny McIntosh v Matthew Barney for the English Light Heavyweight title. Also appearing are Lee Purdy, Matthew Thirlwall, Earl Ling and making his pro debut, ABA Senior Featherweight Champion 2008 Bradley Evans.
Tickets for Fury vs. Peret which is part of the undercard of Jon Thaxton’s first European title defence at the Norfolk Showground, Norwich on February 28 are available from the Ticketline box office on 0871 424 4444 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.