These are heady days for British heavyweight boxing. Its contenders were once mocked in America. Now the rest of the world looks on in envy and Tyson Fury stands at the top of an impressive bunch.
On Saturday night, 94,000 fans will fill Wembley Stadium for an all-British fight, as Fury defends his WBC heavyweight title against a man he once employed as a sparring partner, Dillian Whyte. It will be the biggest crowd ever to attend a boxing event in Europe and anticipation was so big for this match, it drew the highest purse bid in history – $41 million.
Fury is relishing this moment in the spotlight. For a long time he was cast as the villain in a domestic rivalry with Anthony Joshua. But as Joshua faltered, twice losing his WBA, WBO and IBF titles, Fury has come back from oblivion and kept on winning.
Joshua’s belts were the ones that Fury took from Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, before a descent into drugs and depression saw his titles taken away and forced him out of the ring for two-and-a-half years.
He returned to claim the WBC title from Deontay Wilder at the second time of asking in Las Vegas – after their first meeting ended in a draw – and then backed it up in a thrilling third fight between the pair last October.
At 33, he is still young for a heavyweight, but Fury seems determined not to outstay his welcome and says this will be his last fight.
“Every dog has his day whether you’re the greatest or not, age catches up very quickly. So you’ve got to move over for the younger guys,” Fury said.
“I said to Klitschko all those years ago, ‘you were a good champion in your day, a good man. But Father Time has caught up with you’. I’m the same now.
“The mistake Wladimir made was he wanted to take on the next era of champions and it didn’t work out for him.
“They all go on too long, for what reason I don’t know. They can’t get away from it because they love it too much. It’s a way of life, it’s all you know and want to know.”
Any sportsman talking about retirement normally sets the alarm bells ringing, but Fury will not be taking Whyte lightly. Whyte is a tough man and a serious threat.
Born in Jamaica, where he grew up in poverty, Whyte moved to south London as a young boy, getting himself involved with the wrong crowd. Boxing proved to be a way out.
"I didn't get into boxing thinking or believing I would be heavyweight champion, I got into boxing because it got me out of trouble and make a bit of money and that was it,” Whyte said. “I didn't think I was even going to be British champion but as time's gone on and you get better, you improve and get a knack for it.
“I’ve always known I could knock people out because I’ve had a ton of fights inside and outside the ring.”
Some believe Whyte’s only hope of winning is a knockout, but he does not see it that way.
“I can win by being me, by doing what I do best,” Whyte said. “I believe I can beat him on points as well as knocking him out.
“That’s the great thing about boxing. The so-called experts say you can only win the fight one way, and then you go in there and win it another way. I’ll find a way.”
Fury has promised fireworks, to come out in the style of his last two fights with Wilder, rather than the more awkward, defensive style of his first 30 bouts. That would suit Whyte well, but when Fury spent Tuesday’s open workout boxing in a southpaw style, it suggested he will have a more pragmatic approach.
If he wins, could he really walk away, with the prospect of a fight for the undisputed title against Joshua or his recent conqueror Oleksandr Usyk on the horizon? Fury insists he is not interested.
“Get a good victory on Saturday night, relax, sit back and enjoy life,” he said. “There's plenty of other stuff I need to do like look after my kids and wife.
“It’s been a long old journey, ups and downs in my career, lots of ups and downs. I am loving every second of it. But I’m coming up to 34, 20 years as a boxer, that’s enough for anybody.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)
Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),
Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),
Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm)
Benevento v Napoli (6pm)
Parma v Spezia (6pm)
Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)
Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)
Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
More from Aya Iskandarani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Mamia Al Reef, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
3.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner: Jaahiz, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner: Qanoon, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Philosopher, Tadhg O’Shea, Salem bin Ghadayer.
54.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner: Jap Al Yassoob, Fernando Jara, Irfan Ellahi.
FA%20Cup%20semi-final%20draw
%3Cp%3ECoventry%20City%20v%20Manchester%20United%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Chelsea%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Games%20to%20be%20played%20at%20Wembley%20Stadium%20on%20weekend%20of%20April%2020%2F21.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
