By Terence Dooley

Collyhurst-based trainer Brian Hughes has been charged with the task of turning Tyson Fury’s raw physical potential into professional attainment.  Hughes, who preaches technique over brute force, believes that, in Fury, he has the fighter to make all his dreams come true.

“I had this vision since I started coaching in 1961 of having the British heavyweight champion and I always wanted to produce a British heavyweight world champion,” revealed Hughes.  “I’ve had some heavyweights here who looked brilliant but they’d always pack it in.  Now I’ve got Tyson, who is a good lad and will make it with or without me, and I’d like to get to the top with him.  He is very receptive to everything you put in front of him.

“He is turning his chin away from the punches now, working the jab to the body and working on little technical things.  I went to Germany with him in preparation for the last fight and was pleasantly surprised by what I saw.  Tyson boxed the best Russians and Germans and a big lad from Finland, he boxed their heads off, absolutely hammered them.  Each day he’d take on someone new and showed me the ability to become world heavyweight champion, now he just needs the experience.”

Hughes has guided the careers of Pat Barrett, Michael Jennings and Robin Reid, amongst many, he believes that Fury has the core elements needed for top-level success, it is now down to Brian to bring eliminate Fury’s flaws whilst bringing his positives to the fore, which, in Hughes’ opinion, may take a little bit of time.

“If I had my way he wouldn’t be taking this [John] McDermott fight, he’d be getting some new experiences before his next title fight.  That said, those big fighters in Europe were all tremendous and he was far superior to them.  Tyson has the build and once he gets boxing there’ll be no stopping him.  Henry Cooper could jab and hook off the left hand and we are getting Tyson to do the same, he wants to do the spectacular but that will come once he’s sickened guys with the jab, he has that ability.”

As mentioned, Hughes feels that Fury should move beyond McDermott but realises that his charge, and the British boxing public, wants to see the record set straight after their controversial first fight, in which Fury won a debateable decision by the ludicrous scoreline of 98-92.  Hughes is fully focussed on ensuring that Fury looks a different fighter in the rematch.

“If he does everything we’ve done in the gym during this fight with McDermott then it will be to his advantage.  I’ve got great respect for John McDermott and saw him fight when he was with Frank Warren.  I saw him come through the bills and have always had respect for him.  People say he is too tubby and whatever but he has the experience and this will be another learning fight for Tyson,” predicted Hughes, who was critical of Fury’s performance in the first contest.

“Yeah, he came down, crouching, and tried to make a smaller target for McDermott but kept getting caught with right hands, we’ve been working on avoiding those shots and getting him to use his size.  I’d have preferred a few more fights in-between this one but we won’t be able to box again before the fight.

“You can’t make too many plans as you never know what’ll happen, but I hope to god that he gets past McDermott and then looks at what he can do next, he may want someone else (training him) for his next fight – I don’t know.  You have to have an open mind with lads like Tyson.”

Hughes has had to look to the world of M M A for Tyson’s sparring and Brian, who is open to new ideas, was optimistic about the benefits of this move.  “The U F C guys want to fight with Tyson so it will be good for him to box their heads off”, revealed Hughes, “I’m also talking to Mick Hennessy about getting some good Germans over so he can really let fly at them.”

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