Exclusive with Malik Scott: I share John Fury’s concerns over Tyson Fury’s health after ‘scary’ trilogy with Deontay Wilder, Thierry Henry is ready for boxing debut after ‘sugar-free’ body transformation, Derek Chisora will tell us if Deontay Wilder ‘has anything left.’
We sat down with Malik Scott to discuss some of the biggest talking points in boxing right now, including Tyson Fury’s future after his brutal trilogy with Deontay Wilder, whether Wilder still has enough left to trouble top opponents, and why Derek Chisora could end up answering that question in emphatic fashion.
Scott also gave his views on crossover names like Thierry Henry, the rise of Moses Itauma, Conor Benn’s next move, and the major fights that could shape the next phase of the heavyweight division.
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Key findings from our Malik Scott interview
- Scott believes Tyson Fury is “not the same man” after the Deontay Wilder fights.
- He does not think Fury could beat Oleksandr Usyk, especially as he gets older and stays inactive.
- Scott says Thierry Henry has the mentality and discipline to compete in boxing.
- Derek Chisora vs. Deontay Wilder will show whether Wilder still has anything left.
- He rates Moses Itauma extremely highly and believes he can trouble any heavyweight in the world.
- Scott is already calling Zurdo Ramirez vs. David Benavidez a potential Fight of the Year.
Full Malik Scott interview
Check out the full transcript of our exclusive interview with Malik Scott:
What did those Deontay Wilder fights take out of Tyson Fury?
Malik Scott: I think Tyson Fury caught the worst of Deontay Wilder. The power actually feels scary, and it's a serious thing. Tyson Fury felt it the worst because he had to deal with it with 10-ounce gloves on, being hit by Wilder, getting knocked down, getting up with his equilibrium disturbed, and continuing to fight, and then getting knocked down again.
And that happened to him, not in just one fight, but in two fights, repeatedly got knocked down by Wilder. And that's not even counting the punches that landed that he didn't go down from.
So he's just not the same man, but I knew he wasn't the same man when he gave Usyk two good fights. I knew he wasn't the same man when he stopped Dillian Whyte
Can Fury become world champion again?
Malik Scott: Can Fury become world champion again? I personally don't think Tyson Fury could ever beat Usyk, and I think the older he gets, the worse it will look. Especially since he's not active.
And you're human, and I think things could play out badly on you if you continue to fight these young guys and the Usyks of the world. I just think it could play out for you in a bad way if you continue to do it.
But Tyson is special, man. We've seen him pull a rabbit out of the hat a few times. It's just never any telling. He can go in here and end up stopping this guy in three or four rounds.
And does that mean if he does that, John Fury is wrong? No, that just means John Fury is possibly right, he just wasn't right about this fight. It may happen in the next fight, so it's just never any telling. We'll have to see.
Tyson Fury vs. Makhmudov?
Malik Scott: I don't think he punches as hard as he looks. I think if he did, him and Dave Allen don't go the distance. I think if he did, he really wouldn't have just lost the fights that he's lost, because everybody that beat him, he did hit them, but they were able to take it and give it back, and it just seemed when the going gets tough and the toughs get going, if you really know what you're doing, you can break him.
He doesn't have Fury's IQ, he doesn't have Fury's punch selection, he's not Tyson Fury, but he's big enough where he could hurt him. We have to see where Fury is at after this few months that he's had off as well. We gotta see how his legs are. We gotta see how he reacts when he gets hit by this guy.
Are you open to training Roy Keane for a boxing match with Carl Froch?
Malik Scott: I only care about high-level boxing. If I was to talk to my wife about it, she only wants me doing high-level boxing. Now that I'm a married man, I consider everything, not just for myself, but also what my wife is comfortable with.
What my wife is comfortable with is me training fighters at the higher level, not training celebrities, or other sportsmen at the high level. She understands my passion and how serious I am about coaching, and someday becoming a Hall of Fame trainer, someday being considered a great coach.
With his new physique can Thierry Henry consider a boxing match?
Malik Scott: Should Thierry Henry with his new physique consider a boxing match? Absolutely, because, even minus the figure, he had the tough mental fortitude, what it takes to be someone to compete at a high level.
When you look at his new physique, when I talk to him about it, he lets me know that he's cut down on sugar. That's what it's really dedicated to. He also wants everyone to basically cut down on sugar.
I just was having a conversation with him about it the other day, and he's like, "Malik, just try it for a month, for two," and before you knew it, you'll be feeling better. And he's just really on it. And it's paid dividends for him, because you see his physique, he's in shape.
And I believe that with his mental strength and everything he had to overcome to be who he is today, that's what it would take to become a fighter, and I believe Henry has those qualities to do that. Not just in boxing, but any sport that he would have chosen.
Malik Scott: If Thierry Henry was interested in doing something with boxing, and he needed my help, I would be here for him, faster than Superman changes clothes. Definitely, I would do that and help him out with that.
Micah Richards opened up about his forced retirement with Henry
Malik Scott: What do I think about Micah Richard opening up to Thierry Henry about his forced retirement? You've got to commend that because that says a lot about his spirit, that says a lot about him not letting the tragedies of life get on top of him.
And what he's been able to do with that is very admirable. Micah is a whole brand. Micah is a character. Micah is a man with a pure heart. And he's someone else that I admire.
Every time we see each other, we laugh and hug. He's always giving not just me, but people words of encouragement for whatever it is that they're doing. And don't forget, he's doing that after, at 29, being told you can't do what you love to do.
KSI as a football club owner?
Malik Scott: Will KSI succeed as a football owner? KSI has made himself a brand, he has made himself a market. He has made himself a true value in almost any space he puts himself in.
Someone that could do that, what he has done thus far with his brand, the sky's the limit, the world is his oyster. It's a strong possibility that he could be successful in any space he put himself in. .
I saw that Kate had basically been brought in by Paramount and the UFC. For UFC fans, what will Kate bring to the table in terms of offering that high-level presenting ability?
Malik Scott: What does Kate Scott bring to her new role with UFC? She brings class, intelligence, charisma, She brings that and adds value to any stage she's on.
Her first two UFC debuts have been incredible. She's reaching a new height with this, not coming from a traditional UFC background, but being able to get familiar with the panel immediately, connect with them immediately, and call things on air, on the fly.
She makes it a comfortable space where she can work in and that she can create. It's very admirable; I'm very proud of her. I think that's something that Paramount and CBS highly understand. That's why she got the job, and that's, to me, why she's the best in the world at what she does.
Do you think the White House card will open the door to a boxing event at the White House?
Malik Scott: I think what Dana White is doing with Zuffa is going to open other doors for boxing, such as hosting boxing at sites like the White House, possibly. I think Dana White has big plans for boxing, the same type of plans he had for the UFC.
So we're going to see if he can make those same transitions with boxing that he did with the UFC. He has this takeover attitude, he has this takeover mentality. To have that takeover attitude and mentality, you have to listen to him because he has done it already, and he's done it with the UFC.
There's no reason why he shouldn't think he can't do it with boxing, so we'll see if he can.
Conor Benn left Matchroom, thoughts?
Malik Scott: You can't knock Conor Benn because you only get one chance in this fight game. You only get one shot. Once Conor is gone, Eddie Hearn and Dana White will still have more Conor Bens. But Cnnor Ben won't get another shot at having another career, so he made the best opportunity that he thought was good for him and his family.
Malik Scott: Conor Benn is the real deal to me, but he has a tough fight coming up with Regis Prograis. Even though Regis is on the second half of his career, we're going to see how he deals with Regis, but he's a live dog. He can fight, he can punch. He still does believe in himself. He knows this is probably his last opportunity.
Where will Zurdo succeed where Anthony Yarde didn’t vs. Benavidez?
Malik Scott: Anthony Yarde, to me, has tons of heart, but he was the first guy I actually saw almost copycat Floyd Mayweather's pad work, Floyd Mayweather's fighting style, he tried to. I think him and Tunde did a great job together, but I just think the opponents that they fought at the high level, I think if Anthony Yarde fought those guys ten times in a row, he would lose every time, just because his system is beneficial for them to look good, and for them to look like killers.
Malik Scott: I'm calling Zurdo vs. Benavidez the Fight of the Year already. Benavidez has high volume when it comes to punch output. He has a good chin, he has good defense. His defense is underrated.
People think since he comes forward and he throws a lot of punches, and he's Mexican, he doesn't have good defense. But he rarely gets hit, but he's also vulnerable enough to get hit, to get hurt, as we have seen.
Malik Scott: In my opinion, "Zurdo" Ramirez has the best chin in boxing that I've seen in the last 15-20 years. I've seen him box heavyweights, I've seen him box guys that are extremely bigger than him, and he doesn't budge, and he gives the heat right back.
He's a southpaw, he's bigger, he has good balance, and he knows how to fight off the back foot, and he knows how to come forward, and he knows how to go to the body. He just does so many things well. It will be Fight of the Year.
Derek Chisora vs. Deontay Wilder
Malik Scott: Deontay was going to take the Usyk fight, but they just couldn't come to an agreement, so Deontay, he wasn't going to wait around, he got to do other stuff. And right now, I really believe that Chisora can bring the best out of him at this point in his career.
Malik Scott: The fight is really black and white to me. If Deontay, who's the hardest puncher in the history of the sport in my opinion, cracked Derek coming in, Derek goes to sleep.
If Derek can stay in Deontay's chest and attempt to drown him and take him into deep waters and drown him, if Deontay doesn't knock him out, then it could be a long night for Deontay. He can be for anybody that fights Chisora.
The fight is black and white. Can Deontay knock him out? That's what we're going to see. If he can't knock him out, Chisora's going to be all over him, like white on rice. I think Deontay Wilder wins by knockout early. But Chisora is gonna let us know if there's anything left.
Itauma vs. Franklin?
Malik Scott: Jermaine Franklin is very, very tough. He's more than a gatekeeper, in my opinion. He's a live heavyweight contender. And this comes across as a fight that if Moses can get rid of him, no one else has, then the world is his oyster.
Malik Scott: I believe Moses has all the attributes to give any heavyweight in the world trouble. I believe Moses has the best shot at beating Usyk. I believe Usyk shouldn't retire without fighting Moses. I think Moses just has a high IQ, great coach. I can't say great chin, because I've never seen him get hit and come back from adversity and things like that, and that's not something that I want to see.
What would you do if you had both Fabio Wardley and Moses Itauma?
Malik Scott: Well, it'd be tough to manage, but I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to know which way Ben Davison would go if he had to cut one off.
Wardley vs. Dubois?
Malik Scott: You've got to favour Wardley. But Dubois is back with Don Charles, and I just think Dubois is good with Don Charles. Even though they lost against Usyk, you can't really count that. It's not like he went out there and got blown out by Usyk.
Malik Scott: It says a lot about Fabio that he's willing to even fight Dubois, because he's not babysitting the title that he has. He's willing to take risks with it early on, too. It's not like he's had a couple of tune-ups; now he's wanting to fight Dubois. I know Wardley's taking on the biggest challenges that are presented to him on the biggest stages, and you've got to commend him for that. But I think Dubois, he's going in as an underdog.
Mike Tyson vs. Mayweather?
Malik Scott: Mike Tyson deserves to have a spot in boxing where he could always come back and make millions and millions of dollars. I believe Floyd deserves that. I believe these fighters that put their bodies through hell, these fighters that accomplished and grabbed some incredible accolades, deserve things like this. I think boxers should have a "deserved column," where certain fighters deserve to always get into any fight that they want.
They should always be able to do exhibitions without being ridiculed, without being questioned, because, in a way, there's no retirement program for fighters. So, I think, at minimum, opportunities should always be presented to them like this.
I don't think all fighters should be able to do this, but I think the likes of Tyson, the likes of Holyfield, the likes of Floyd Mayweather, anybody that's healthy enough to pass the test to be able to compete in exhibitions and things like that, after they've put in the work and have knocked so many doors down in boxing, created opportunities for other fighters, I think they always should be presented with opportunities like this to make the king's ransom when it comes to just big money in these fights, because life still goes on, and these guys still have to survive, and these guys have a certain type of lifestyle that they have to pay for, and these lifestyles cost.
And this is why Floyd is doing these fights. This is why Tyson is coming back during these fights because the guys, they still have to survive, man. They still have to survive at a high level, consider a lifestyle, a high-level lifestyle.
So, it's a good thing to me, because I just look at it as the ones that paved the way are still around making money that they deserve.
We spoke before about Deontay Wilder vs. Jake Paul. This was a fight that was apparently in discussion. Do you think that's beyond the realms of possibility, that that fight ever happens?
Malik Scott: In boxing, anything is possible, especially these matchups [like Jake Vs. Deontay Wilder], especially the time that we're in with this celebrity boxing. And Jake Paul fighting Anthony Joshua, it's over. Anything is now possible. There's no matchups that can't happen. It's just all possible.
AJ comeback opponent?
Malik Scott: Dillian Whyte because their first fight was a barn burner. The second fight got messed up because Dillian got caught with some bad tests that came back. But I think it's always just a good domestic scrap.
Dillian can punch, Dillian is tough. But most people think Dillian is limited, especially when it comes to AJ. So the narrative on the story would be, can he do to Dillian what he did to him before? Or can Dillian finish him if he gets him hurt this time?
