Fury v Seferi: Talented and talkative, Tyson´s return is big news for heavyweight boxing

Finally, more than 30 months on from an outstanding victory over Wladimir Klitschko that saw him become the unified heavyweight champion of the world, Tyson Fury is set to climb between the ropes again.

Slimmed down and seemingly with a desire to make up for lost time, the former IBF, WBA and WBO champion takes his first step on the comeback trail in Manchester.

In the opposite corner will be Sefer Seferi, a career cruiserweight who, at 39, has a resume that suggests he is unlikely to play the role of party pooper.

Fury has gone out of his way to talk up the bout, despite towering over him at pre-fight photo opportunities and even picking him up after the pair weighed in. “If he has knocked out 21 men before, if he gets it on my chin he will knock me out too,” he said of Seferi, who lost his only previous outing at heavyweight, against Manuel Charr in a 10-rounder.

Despite the pep talk from his opponent, the unheralded Albanian is likely to be little more than a footnote, a name to be remembered should the question, ‘Who did Tyson Fury face in his comeback outing?’ ever pop up in a quiz.

Seferi – who registered just over 15 stone on the scales, over four stone lighter than the headline act – looks to be a snack for a hungry lion, with Fury having an opportunity to blow away the cobwebs and offer those interested enough to watch a timely reminder of his talents.

No animosity between these two pic.twitter.com/tUCqx1Fn3x

— Tyson Fury returns… live on BT Sport (@BTSportBoxing) June 8, 2018
David Allen has first-hand experience of exactly what Fury is capable of. He has sparred plenty of rounds with his good friend and fellow heavyweight, including in the build-up to this weekend.

“First and foremost, he’s just a massive unit,” Allen – who holds a 13-3-2 record as a pro – told Omnisport.

“When you get in with someone that size, you assume they won’t be able to move, but he moves like a light-heavyweight, even a super-middleweight. I’ve moved around with fighters from those divisions as I’m a small heavyweight, and his movement is as good as any of them.

“Also, when you get in there with him, you realise just how clever he is. His hands are fast as well and while the jab isn’t a ramrod jab, not a heavy punch, it’s a point-scorer and a constant irritant.

“I just think, all-round, he’s one of the most gifted fighters on the planet. Not just in terms of heavyweights, either. I honestly think Tyson at his best is up there, pound-for-pound, with all of them.”

Allen rates Fury above Klitschko and Anthony Joshua, two other notable heavyweight names he has faced in sparring in the past.

“Tyson’s my friend and I do think a lot of him, but I genuinely think he’s one of the most talented fighters I’ve ever been in with,” added the White Rhino, who is preparing for a fight against Tony Yoka – the Frenchman who struck gold in the super-heavyweight division at the 2016 Olympic Games – on June 23.

“He’s such a difficult man to beat – you’re going to have to knock him out cold. Having shared a ring with him, I can confirm you’re not going to out-point him. Even if you put him over, he’s just going to keep on getting back up.”

During his period of inactivity, which included a backdated two-year ban following a positive drugs test, Fury has seen others step up and stake a claim to be top dog in the division.

Joshua had yet to even become British champion when Fury fought Klitschko. Now he has the world titles his compatriot vacated in October 2016. At some stage, it feels inevitable their paths will cross.

Then there is Deontay Wilder, the brash-talking American who holds the coveted WBC belt. He stood toe-to-toe with Fury for a slanging match in January 2016, and their rivalry has simmered ever since.

Good things come to those who wait, though.

Allen predicts Seferi may be allowed to linger for a few rounds, but feels Fury will need “a year, maybe 18 months” before he is ready to mix it again at the highest level.

He’s been as low as any man can go.

His weight has been as high as 27.5st.

It looked like he would never fight again.

Today, @Tyson_Fury weighed 19st 10lbs.

He fought his demons and he won.

Get ready, because on Saturday night…

THE MACK IS BACK #HesBack pic.twitter.com/THa9PXrcOY

— Frank Warren (@frankwarren_tv) June 8, 2018
Still, his re-emergence on the scene is good for business. Fury is a showman who sells tickets, a rent-a-quote type who just so happens to be outstanding at his trade.

Here is an unbeaten champion still in his prime, someone who understands the importance of playing the game within a game. He is a must-follow on social media, for you never quite know what he will do or say next, and his weight loss – although not quite half the man he used to be, he has shed over seven stone since stepping back into the gym – suggests he is serious about reclaiming what he believes should rightfully still be his.

While sportsmen can sometimes come a cropper when trying to turn back the clock, Fury has time on his side.

History shows heavyweights can prosper after extended periods of inactivity – Muhammad Ali dominated again after a three-and-a-half-year lay-off, plus George Foreman stopped selling grilling machines to don the gloves again and become a world champion at the age of 45.

Fury believes he deserves to be placed in such esteemed company as all-time greats like Ali and Foreman. Beating Seferi will not make a difference to his legacy – but it does mark the start of another chapter in a boxing story that once seemed to be at an end.