Can we please stop with this "Fury ducked Wlad" narrative? (Prepare for an essay).

But he ducked reematch with Wlad.

Fury signed a contract with a rematch clause even though he wasn't obligated to do so as the official challenger. He did it for additional benefits (presumably financial), as reported on Polish websites.
However, he was in poor physical shape, wasn't doing well in sparring sessions, and his father spoke about it.
And the guy probably knew they'd come after him for doping (a very suspicious case, and to this day I don't understand why someone didn't face criminal charges for concealing it, because it was a real bummer that he even faced Wladimir).

All this talk of depression is bull**** for the naive. Anyone would have a breakdown and a drastic mood drop after months of partying with cocaine and alcohol from morning to night, when they suddenly have to give it all up and start running 15 km a day and working hard. Anyone who's ever enjoyed a bit more partying knows what I'm talking about, and you don't have to be an experienced drug user. Drink for a week and you'll see how destructive it is to your well-being when you finally need to get your act together.

It's easy to see by analyzing his history that Fury doesn't have any mental health issues, or at least doubts them. In fact, his depression ended the very moment Wlad's problem resolved, along with the doping and unofficial suspension. Since then, he hasn't had a single breakdown and is doing great, with the only fluctuations in his form stemming from his being a party animal and a lazy person.

Was he afraid of Wlad? In that condition, he probably would have taken a beating. Besides, he outplayed Wlad quite a bit. Klitschko did all his training in a padded ring, and Fury threatened to refuse the fight unless the foam was removed. It was clear Klitschko wasn't comfortable with his footwork afterward, but that's just my opinion.

And Klitschko woke up after the first fight. Would he have won against the optimal Fury? I don't know. Years later, I think Fury could pull it off, given his speed of recovery from trouble. Ultimately, Fury is a slightly more capable boxer. He's 5-10% better than Wladimir, mainly due to his stamina, as Wladek was a better athlete. The Wlad-Fury fight is a bit like Vitali vs. Wladek, simplified. None of this changes the fact that Fury fled the rematch, and the fact that he never even hinted at fulfilling his commitment after his return (Peter Fury only once mentioned Klitschko as a potential opponent in an interview) clearly demonstrates that he had no intention of fighting Wladimir.

 

Fury dominated. He went to Germany convinced he could do something that no one thought he could do, then he did it without hardly taking a punch. Why in the world would a mentally fit Fury NOT think he could do the same thing again? It makes no sense.

He did not duck Vlad. He didn't suddenly become afraid of the guy he just toyed with (and had apparently done very well against in sparring at a mere 22 years of age). He went off the rails, it's pretty obvious. You think he was so afraid of the guy he easily beat that he ate himself to 400lb and did a handful of coke every night?

 

Fury when faced with the rematch

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