Klitschko next on Fury list as Sykes goes down

Tyson Fury beat Dereck Chisora by 10th-round stoppage to become the new European and British heavyweight champion in a one-sided contest at London’s ExCel Arena.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Dec 2014, 06:36 BST
BATTLING ON: Gary Sykes, right, is knocked down by Liam Walsh in the first round, the Dewsbury fighter eventually losing on points.BATTLING ON: Gary Sykes, right, is knocked down by Liam Walsh in the first round, the Dewsbury fighter eventually losing on points.
BATTLING ON: Gary Sykes, right, is knocked down by Liam Walsh in the first round, the Dewsbury fighter eventually losing on points.

The unbeaten 26-year-old dominated from start to finish and Chisora pulled out at the end of the 10th round to hand Fury his 23rd career victory that could now see him challenge veteran Wladimir Klitschko for the WBO, WBA and IBF belts.

The Manchester fighter has previously expressed doubts about Klitschko’s stomach for a world title showdown, but a commanding display against Chisora in front of a sold-out 18,700 crowd may have enhanced his cause.

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The battle failed to live up to its full-throttle billing, however, with Fury in charge throughout, and the crowd jeered all of the later rounds as neither fighter unleashed the hits they have become so renowned for.

Chisora, who was defending the European title he won in September last year, was unable to avenge his 2011 loss to Fury when the Finchley fighter suffered his first career defeat via a unanimous points decision at Wembley Arena.

Yorkshire boxer Gary Sykes, meanwhile, produced a courageous display but ultimately the biggest night of his career ended in defeat to Liam Walsh.

Dewsbury’s British super featherweight champion recovered from being knocked down in the opening stages of the bout at London’s Excel Arena to produce a spirited display and battle through the full 12 rounds.

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Sykes had some success in the middle rounds but Walsh’s superior strength and power proved decisive as he added the British title to his Commonwealth strap and the Cromer man can now dream of potential European or World title fights in 2015. Walsh took the fight by wide margins of 118-109, 119-108, 118-111, on the three judges cards, although many at ringside thought Sykes deserved more credit then those scores would suggest.

Sykes said: “He was definitely the toughest kid I’ve boxed. Normally when things are getting hard I can just grind opponents down but Walsh was cagey and clever as well. He was so strong and his punches to the body took everything I had out of me.

“I am proud of myself, to be honest, that I got through the full 12 rounds.”

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