It’s fair to say that Tyson Fury’s inclusion amongst the nominees for the 2020 Sports Personality of the Year award caused its fair share of controversy. The boxer made his feelings pretty clear that he didn’t want to be considered for the prize, even asking that his name be withdrawn from the running. That request was denied, leading Fury to plead with his social media followers to vote for anyone but himself.
It was no surprise that Fury did not win the accolade in the end, with Lewis Hamilton scooping the top prize and Jordan Henderson and Hollie Doyle finishing second and third respectively. But 12 months on, Fury is being touted as a contender in the Sports Personality of the Year 2021 winner odds, and it will be interesting to see if he is nominated for the award again, or if the powers that be learned a valuable lesson last year.
Fury has a very real claim to be under consideration for the accolade. Whatever his thoughts are on the award itself, no one can deny that he is one of Britain’s biggest sports starts at the moment, and his stock continues to rise with every passing fight he wins.
Last month, he secured a second win over Deontay Wilder in the pair’s third fight in total, and that has enshrined his status as the number one heavyweight in the world at the moment. It was a cracking bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with both Fury and Wilder hitting the canvas at various points.
But it was the Manchester native who ultimately reigned supreme after dominating the majority of the fight, knocking out the American in the 11th round, and maintaining his unbeaten career record.
Of course, there are a number of factors which may mean Fury is overlooked. The most obvious is the reaction he gave to being nominated last year. While it is an honour for most to he considered for Sports Personality of the Year, Fury has little time for individual accolades outside of the ring, and he made those feelings clear last year. Those in charge of the nominations would perhaps prefer to avoid another PR storm.
There is also the lingering controversy over Fury’s views and behaviour over the years. Compared to many people who are nominated for Sports Personality of the Year, the boxer is considerably rougher around the edges, although that shouldn’t factor into the decision too much since he was nominated last year.
Indeed, Fury’s talent and achievements mean he is hard to overlook. There are few British boxers who have taken the heavyweight division by storm in the same way he has, and you certainly can’t say that he lacks personality. Having beaten Wilder once again, it’s unclear who Fury will face next, but you’d fancy his chances against any fighter in the world on current form.
He is a man who has had struggles throughout his life, and has battled personal demons, but in many ways, those make him a more rounded character, and someone who the public can rally behind. Perhaps if Fury were nominated this year, he’d have a slightly different outlook. We’ll have to wait and see!
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AFP
