Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury declared himself completely happy with his four-round comeback win on Saturday night, despite a lack of action.
Fury, 29, only got going in the fourth round but his brief exhibition of power convinced Sefer Seferi’s corner to pull out the Switzerland-based Albanian before the start of the fifth.
The English boxer did not take his task totally seriously early on, and was told off by referee Phil Edwards for playing to the crowd, but Fury was pleased it was not a short fight after two years and seven months out of action.
“He didn’t come to fight, he came to run around the ring,” Fury told a press conference.
“The opponent was small and light. But he took me a few rounds, which I was happy with.
“I wouldn’t change a thing, and we move on to the next one. I will go back home and have pizza and then get back on it tomorrow.
“I could have knocked him out in the first round, but what good would that have done me? I got four rounds in and TV exposure.
“He took a couple of hard punches and didn’t want to know. I learnt two and a half years is a long time to be out. I’ll take my career very seriously this time and enjoy every moment.”
Seferi, who was nearly five stones lighter and seven inches shorter, did show ambition early on but Fury’s height and movement ensured there was never going to be an upset at Manchester Arena.
It was always comfortable for the Englishman in his first fight since winning the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organisation titles from Ukraine’s Wladimir Klitschko on points in November 2015.
But Fury’s reign was brief with rematches twice cancelled against Klitschko before he admitted to problems with depression, drink and drugs. He then piled on the pounds - Fury claimed to have lost eight stones in preparation for the Seferi fight - and served a backdated drugs ban for testing positive for a banned steroid in February 2015.
Fury’s titles are now in the hands of English rival Anthony Joshua, but promoter Frank Warren said fights against Joshua and Deontay Wilder, the World Boxing Council champion from American, were still a long way off.
Joshua and Wilder are in talks to face each other in early 2019, while Warren plans on keeping Fury active until a world title shot comes up, with his next bout scheduled to be at Belfast’s Windsor Park, Northern Ireland on August 18.
“Tyson will step up each time,” Warren said at a press conference.
“I’ve been realistic from the beginning that we’re not going to put him in with big names early on. He needs to get the ring rust off. We picked Seferi because he had gone 10 rounds with Manuel Charr.
“The objective is to get him ready to fight for the world title as soon as possible.
“I think Anthony Joshua is fighting Alexander Povetkin in September, so he will not fight until next year now and I think Wilder has got a mandatory. In the meantime we have to get Tyson more competitive fights.”
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
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Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
Venom
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Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
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The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
