Heavyweight prospect Hughie Lewis Fury aims to keep improving after a dominant win over Dorian Darch at York Hall, Bethnal Green, London.
The 19-year-old heavyweight commanded the ring on his way to a unanimous points win over six rounds to record his 10th straight professional win on Miranda Carter’s ‘Sunday Rumble’ show.
“I’m still young and I’m still improving and I’m looking to give a better performance every time I fight,” Hughie said.
“It’s good to get the rounds in as by knocking people out you don’t learn as much, so now I can watch the tape back and learn big from this fight.”
Just one day after Hughie was scheduled to fight on the undercard to his older cousin Tyson Fury’s domestic super fight with David Haye, prior to Haye’s withdrawal, he found himself opposite the former ABA champion, Darch.
Darch, 29, had won seven of his eight professional fights prior to the contest, with his sole defeat coming to Ian Lewison and was expected to give Hughie another big test.
Hughie came out behind his signature left jab; moving and slipping, as the muscular Darch looked to get to the inside.
Swiftly moving forward and firing lefts and rights, Darch was looking to unsettle the teenage heavyweight early, but Hughie maintained his composure, utilising his slick movement and left lead.
In the second, Darch again started quickly, as he tried to negate the jab by closing the range, but Hughie again used his superior movement to land stinging lefts and maintain the distance.
A classy right feint and left uppercut found its target, as Darch looked unable to answer the questions the young heavyweight was asking.
Quickening the pace in the third, Hughie fired the left jab at will, followed by heavy rights.
A right and left to the body had Darch in real trouble, as he stumbled back towards the ropes, grimacing and clenching over as Hughie closed in.
Hughie went for the stoppage, landing hard rights directly to the body of Darch, who showed remarkable recovery to fire back with right hands of his own to survive the round.
Clearly on top of the contest, Hughie began to let loose in the fourth; firing the left lead before delivering rights to the body.
A quick right hand to the body sent Darch to the canvas, but it was adjudged to be a low blow.
Hughie went back to the left lead as a game Darch came forward. Another flurry of lefts and rights left Darch holding on, as again he seemed to buckle.
In the fifth, Hughie was landing lefts and rights to the head and body, as a physically tired Darch held more and more.
By the end of the sixth it was clear that there was only going to be one winner, with Hughie recording a unanimous points win.
“It was a brilliant performance, from a very special and unique talent,” Mick Hennessy said.
“Hughie has only just turned 19 and he was fighting someone with a record of eight fights with seven wins and who has fought in very good company.
“He just dismantled him, hurt him, nearly stopped him three or four times within just six rounds – I don’t know how Dorian Darch went the distance, fair play to him for that, because for a 19-year-old, that was a spectacular performance – he’s a special talent and the future of the heavyweight division.”