Hughie Fury vows to win WBO belt in first step towards unifying heavyweight division
Saturday 31 December 2016 11:42, UK
Hughie Fury has vowed to unify the heavyweight division and plans to start a dominant reign by taking the WBO title from Joseph Parker.
The unbeaten 22-year-old has admitted that talks are ongoing about a possible fight with Parker, who is likely to make the first defence of his title on April 8.
Fury, who is the WBO's highest ranked contender, has welcomed talk of the bout being possibly staged in Britain, but the Mancunian insists he is willing to travel for a shot at the title.
"We're in negotiations with it at the minute," Fury exclusively told Sky Sports. "I am mandatory, so it will be happening either way. I'm in the No 1 position, I'm mandatory, and I will be fighting for that title.
"It would be nice to have it at home in England, where the home crowd is, instead of travelling away, but it doesn't really matter to me. I have never fought in my hometown before. It would be nice to fight for a world title there. It would be something spectacular."
His cousin Tyson was swiftly stripped of his IBF belt, while he later relinquished the WBA 'super' title and WBO crown, which is currently held by Parker, and Hughie is determined to bring the belts back into the family.
Fury, who claimed a gold medal in the World Youth Championships, said: "I'm not in this sport just to win a world title and that's it, throw it up in the air and go wild. I'm here to win it and prove that I am a worthy champion.
Once I win that title, I'm coming for them all.
"That's what I have done since I was young kid. I had my first amateur fight at 11 years old and I've been training since I was a kid for this. This is all I've wanted to do.
"I've sacrificed all the girlfriends, the going out partying. I've been full dedicated since a young age, because I always knew what I wanted to be.
"Once I win that title, I'm coming for them all."
Parker is also yet to suffer a defeat in 22 fights, but Fury spotted vulnerabilities when Parker claimed the WBO belt with a hard-fought points win over Andy Ruiz Jr in Auckland.
"Joseph Parker is no mug," said Fury, who has recovered from a debilitating illness which has hampered his career.
"He's had a few tough fights and he's made hard work of them, but you cannot really take anything from them.
"I do rate Joseph Parker, he's a good talented heavyweight, but I believe I've got the tools to beat him. I believe I'm his worst nightmare.
"He struggled against Ruiz. I did have Ruiz winning that fight to be honest with you by a few rounds. The reason why Ruiz never got the fight is because one, from being in his hometown and two, he never pushed the issue.
"He just calmed down in the later rounds, never had the work-rate or fitness to keep it up.
"I still had Ruiz winning it, but Joseph Parker came out on top in the end. Congratulations to him, but he won't be keeping that title for long."
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