By Terence Dooley

Peter Fury has confirmed that his son Hughie Fury, 18, will face former British cruiserweight champion Shane McPhilbin at Rotherham’s Magna Centre on September 14th.  Fury, 8-0 (5), will be shown on Channel 5, who are broadcasting the Mick Hennessy-promoted bill, which is topped a tasty main event as Sheffield’s Kid Galahad and Liverpool’s “Jazza” Dickens vie for the vacant British Super bantamweight belt.

McPhilbin won the British cruiserweight title by stopping Leon Williams in the 12th round in January 2012.  The 27-year-old lost the title in his next fight, a controversial decision defeat to Enzo Maccarinelli that saw McPhilbin floor his illustrious opponent in the first round only for the bell to sound 47 seconds early, which robbed the champion of a chance to go for the finish.  “Big Mac” regrouped and his greater nous netted him a deserved decision win.

McPhilbin, 8-7-1 (5), has not posted a win since picking up the British belt, in fact he is 0-5-1 since that memorable night, but one of those losses came in Prizefighter: The Cruiserweights and two of the others were against fighters in good form — Jon Lewis Dickinson (L12) and Walsall’s Chris Keane (L TKO 3).  A tough and determined boxer, McPhilbin will hope to get his career firing again by handing the highly rated Fury his first professional defeat.

Fury, though, is likely to add to McPhilbin’s woes as he bids to beat Mike Tyson’s record of youngest heavyweight world champion.  While McPhilbin certainly isn’t Fury’s own version of Alfonzo Ratliff — the former WBC cruiserweight titlist that Mike beat prior to meeting Trevor Berbick — he should give Fury valuable rounds.

“His punches will get even harder when he gets that man strength,” said Peter Fury when speaking about his son’s potential and Tyson’s record.  “If he turns that corner well from 19 or 20 then he’ll be ready.  But there’s no way I’ll take risks with my son and his career too early on just to beat a record.  Even though I think that he has a very good chance of doing it.”

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