Frank Warren believes Tyson Fury’s fame bears comparison to Muhammad Ali.
Ali is ranked as one of the finest boxers of all time, who went through some of toughest and most fondly remembered fights in boxing history, while he took a stand against conscription in the Vietnam war, and even threw his Olympic medals away in protest.
Fury’s next fight is against an MMA heavyweight without his title on the line, and he is currently enjoying a more prominent role in the limelight after a docusoap Netflix series about his family life.
Writing in BoxingScene.com, Warren talked up the clash on October 28, saying: “It is only going to get bigger the closer we get to departure for Saudi Arabia.
“Tyson was in fine form, as usual, and the groundbreaking nature of this encounter is certainly igniting the fire in his belly.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Tyson is now, quite probably, the most recognizable and popular sportsman on the planet. He has transcended boxing and, personality-wise, you have to bracket him with Muhammad Ali.
“His extracurricular activities only serve to increase his popularity and recognition. His Netflix series has attracted the highest ever ratings in the UK and his three books quickly fell into the best-seller category.
“And don’t forget his dabble in the world of wrestling a few years ago with the WWE, which also featured as part of Riyadh Season. So he is not entering into unfamiliar territory come the back end of October.”