Fansided

FanSided’s 2018 boxing awards and review of boxing’s best moments

By Jeremy Herriges

Tony Bellew (left) in action against Oleksandr Usyk during their WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO & Ring Magazine Cruiserweight World Championship bout at Manchester Arena. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
Tony Bellew (left) in action against Oleksandr Usyk during their WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO & Ring Magazine Cruiserweight World Championship bout at Manchester Arena. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images) /
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Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder
LOS ANGELES, USA – DECEMBER 01: Tyson Fury gestures towards the crowd at the end of WBC Heavyweight Championship at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on December 01, 2018.(Photo by Philip Pacheco/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) /

2018 Comeback Fighter of the Year: Tyson Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs)

There’s no boxer more deserving of being named the Comeback Fighter of the Year than Tyson Fury. He’s the obvious choice which is why he’s our pick for 2018.

Fury has been to the top of boxing’s heavyweight division, fallen hard but won redemption through a draw with Deontay Wilder in December. His career is erratic, but he’s back and better than ever.

In 2015, it looked like Fury was the future of the heavyweight division. He defeated Wladimir Klitschko to win the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles. Things didn’t play out the way he hoped. He never lost a fight in the ring, but he sank into a deep depression fueled by alcohol and drugs. He suffered from mental health problems, and his weight shot up to 400 pounds. His decline is well documented.

After more than two and a half years out of boxing, Fury entered the ring in June of 2018, but his ring rust was on display for the world to see. He was far from the boxer he was in 2015, but he looked better in his second bout in August and then signed on to fight Wilder for the WBC title.

Fury shouldn’t have stood a chance against Wilder, but his heart and resolve allowed him to trim down to 256 pounds. He proved that he was more than ready to fight Wilder. He survived two knockdowns in the fight and thoroughly outboxed Wilder. The bout ended in a draw because of the points he lost being knocked down, but he made a lot of fans with his resilience and feel-good story.

Fury’s boxing resurrection is more than a comeback. It’s a rebirth. He’s likely to fight Wilder again in 2019. The outcome could end in his favor the second time around. Fury’s story is inspiring and shows that redemption is always possible.

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