Tyson Fury is the best heavyweight in the world today. That’s largely thanks to boxing greats Emanuel Steward and Lennox Lewis.
WBN explains how Fury had to change his career direction after almost losing against Deontay Wilder in 2018. “The Gypsy King” was almost down and out in a startling final round after returning from a lengthy absence.
With an inexperienced corner, Fury knew defeating Wilder would take more. His future dominance of the division depended on it.
After drafting in Steward’s nephew Javan Hill to help him, the pair worked on a strategy to take Wilder apart. By then, Hill had changed his name to Steward in honor of Manny, who sadly passed away too early in 2012.
Putting his nickname of “Sugar” together with his surname was the icing on the cake for the new partnership. Under Sugarhill, Fury enjoyed his most excellent night when lighting up the MGM Grand.
He jumped on Wilder and defeated him in seven painful rounds. Before that night, nobody had treated Wilder with such disdain. WBN was in the building that night – the shock was palpable.
It wasn’t that Fury improved as such, as he always had those tools in his shed. However, he utilized them so perfectly under the stewardship of his former mentor’s nephew.
Having spent time with Manny after almost losing to John McDermott, Fury had never looked back. He needed to return to his roots to regain the Eye of the Tiger.
Bringing in Steward proved a masterstroke as the Kronk supremo harnessed every ounce of Fury’s superior technique and added a massive dollop of power into the mix.
The Emanuel Steward and Lennox Lewis method
Steward had watched Manny turn Lennox Lewis into the most superior heavyweight master in the world just a decade prior. It was now Fury’s turn to learn how Steward did it.
It was so clear that Fury took a leaf out of the book of Lewis by the way he sapped the energy of Wilder at every opportunity. At times, it was as if Lewis was back in the ring himself.
Setting everything up with the jab, pushing his opponent down, and keeping everything at length – was undoubtedly the order of the day.
The question remains after further damaging wins over Wilder, Dillian Whyte, and Dereck Chisora, ‘has Sugarhill made Fury unbeatable?’
Besides two blips he learned from quickly, Lewis seemed just that for most of his career. ‘The Pugilist Specialist’ was a few inches shorter than Fury, although, in the current climate, that doesn’t matter.
Top heavyweights are taller now than they were two decades ago. This means Fury regularly comes up against opponents approaching his size – as Lewis did.
Sugarhill and Tyson Fury
But the tactics used by Fury and Steward in Las Vegas are so hard to penetrate for anyone. Wilder didn’t have an answer.
The one thing the American does have in his locker is a one-punch knockout, which by witnessing the tenure of Lewis, was thought to be the only Kryptonite to stop Fury on this form.
However, it’s now becoming consensus that Oleksandr Usyk’s technique could be the one that turns Fury over. In some way, Usyk is like Fury was when he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko.
The movement was excellent and had the Ukrainian ex-champ bamboozled. Usyk will aim to do the same if Fury agrees to get in the ring with him.
It’s a fascinating match-up as Fury may have to abandon everything he’s ever learned from Sugar to get the job done against Usyk.
In a nutshell, British heavyweight boxing has a lot to thank Manny Steward for. But you must commend Sugar for harnessing every morsel of spells with Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko.
The domination usually follows once a faultless recipe is added to a skilled and overpowering boxer like Fury. If it weren’t for Steward and Lewis, though, there’d be no version of Fury in this mold.
However, it’s not just about being a bigger guy – you must also have that knowledge. And in his mid-thirties, this could be perfect timing for Fury to walk away undefeated.
Follow experienced boxing writer Phil Jay on Twitter @PhilJWBN. Follow WBN: Facebook, Insta, Twitter.
