LAS VEGAS -- When the fight between Tyson Fury and Tom Schwarz was announced it was met with a collective sigh from the boxing community. Most fans were hoping to see Fury in a rematch with WBC champion Deontay Wilder. Things changed slightly when Andy Ruiz upset Anthony Joshua. Suddenly there was a little more intrigue surrounding the fight between Fury and Schwarz which will air on ESPN+ on June 15. It's as if fans remember that upsets can and do happen, especially in the heavyweight division and while no belts will be on the line in this 12-round bout, lineal status will be.
Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs) might not look the part but he happens to be one of, if not the most skilled heavyweight in the division. Unlike many heavyweights who rely on fight-ending power, Fury relies on his high ring IQ and sharp skills. It also helps that the 'Gypsy King' stands at 6-feet, 9-inches tall and has a reach of 85-inches. The lineal heavyweight champ has an excellent jab he's able to control the distance with and he follows it with an accurate straight right hand. He also has a left hook that's a good punch although he's never been known as an elite puncher. What makes Fury so good is that he's light on his feet and his quick reflexes. He's able to slip punches with his head movement and he's deceptively quick for his size which allows him to dance out of danger. His ring generalship is also unparalleled in the heavyweight division and while his chin is certainly a question mark, his heart isn't.
Fury has plenty of notable names on his resume and he has beaten the likes of Dereck Chisora, Nicolai Firtha, Steve Cunningham, and Christian Hammer. The biggest win of his career came in 2015 when he beat Wladimir Klitschko to become the lineal heavyweight champion of the world and also took Klitschko's IBF, WBA, and WBO titles home. Then Fury was hit hard by substance abuse and mental health issues, was suspended from the sport, and had his titles stripped. It took Fury three years to get clean and work his way back to the ring where he fought two tune-up fights before getting in the ring with Wilder. Fury boxed well in that fight but was dropped twice and the fight ended in a draw. While he doesn't hold any title belts anymore he is still the lineal champion. Now Fury will fight what seems like another tune-up against Schwarz.
Schwarz (24-0, 16 KOs) is a young undefeated heavyweight who, despite being nearly 6-feet, 6-inches tall, will actually be the smaller man when he enters the ring against Fury. The German native likes to come forward and fights behind a high guard. His jab isn't great and it isn't a punch he uses all that much which is probably good because he tends to reach with it and leave himself open for counter shots. Schwarz will throw his left hook from time to time but he really relies heavily on his right hand to do damage and win him fights. While that right hand isn't always the most accurate, it does land with a thud and can do damage when it lands clean. One thing Schwarz doesn't do well at all is cut the ring off. That could present a huge problem against a fighter like Fury who loves to stay moving. If Schwarz just follows Fury around the ring looking to land a huge right hand that punch might not ever come.
At 25 years old, Schwarz has been fighting professionally since 2013. In his six years as a pro fighter he has only fought outside of his native Germany twice and he's really never faced any notable opponents. He certainly doesn't seem like a fighter who is worthy of a title shot yet and while there are no belts on the line in this fight, lineal status is on the line and it seems almost laughable that a fighter with Schwarz's resume could become the lineal heavyweight champion of the world. Fury represents the best opponent and the biggest fight of Schwarz's career and it will be interesting to see how he handles the challenge.
Fans tuning in to this fight in the hopes of seeing another heavyweight upset like they did when Ruiz stopped Joshua will probably be disappointed. Schwarz has never fought anyone even remotely near the level of Fury and he's pretty much a one-trick pony. Schwarz doesn't use his jab or left hook enough and often just plows ahead behind a high guard. His inability to cut off the ring will be his downfall against Fury. Look for Fury to really stay busy with his jab and he frustrates Schwarz by sticking and moving while picking his spots to sit down on his punches and do damage.
PREDICTION: If Tom Schwarz wins more than three rounds in this fight it would be surprising. Tyson Fury is just on another level and his skills, ring IQ, and movement should all be more than enough to easily handle Schwarz and Fury will win this fight by the way of wide unanimous decision.
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| Fury taunting Deontay Wilder |
Fury has plenty of notable names on his resume and he has beaten the likes of Dereck Chisora, Nicolai Firtha, Steve Cunningham, and Christian Hammer. The biggest win of his career came in 2015 when he beat Wladimir Klitschko to become the lineal heavyweight champion of the world and also took Klitschko's IBF, WBA, and WBO titles home. Then Fury was hit hard by substance abuse and mental health issues, was suspended from the sport, and had his titles stripped. It took Fury three years to get clean and work his way back to the ring where he fought two tune-up fights before getting in the ring with Wilder. Fury boxed well in that fight but was dropped twice and the fight ended in a draw. While he doesn't hold any title belts anymore he is still the lineal champion. Now Fury will fight what seems like another tune-up against Schwarz.
Schwarz (24-0, 16 KOs) is a young undefeated heavyweight who, despite being nearly 6-feet, 6-inches tall, will actually be the smaller man when he enters the ring against Fury. The German native likes to come forward and fights behind a high guard. His jab isn't great and it isn't a punch he uses all that much which is probably good because he tends to reach with it and leave himself open for counter shots. Schwarz will throw his left hook from time to time but he really relies heavily on his right hand to do damage and win him fights. While that right hand isn't always the most accurate, it does land with a thud and can do damage when it lands clean. One thing Schwarz doesn't do well at all is cut the ring off. That could present a huge problem against a fighter like Fury who loves to stay moving. If Schwarz just follows Fury around the ring looking to land a huge right hand that punch might not ever come.
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| Schwarz catching his opponent with a left hook |
Fans tuning in to this fight in the hopes of seeing another heavyweight upset like they did when Ruiz stopped Joshua will probably be disappointed. Schwarz has never fought anyone even remotely near the level of Fury and he's pretty much a one-trick pony. Schwarz doesn't use his jab or left hook enough and often just plows ahead behind a high guard. His inability to cut off the ring will be his downfall against Fury. Look for Fury to really stay busy with his jab and he frustrates Schwarz by sticking and moving while picking his spots to sit down on his punches and do damage.
PREDICTION: If Tom Schwarz wins more than three rounds in this fight it would be surprising. Tyson Fury is just on another level and his skills, ring IQ, and movement should all be more than enough to easily handle Schwarz and Fury will win this fight by the way of wide unanimous decision.
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