Hughie Fury returned to action after eight months away with a simple second round stoppage win over the overmatched Canadian, Chris Norrad in Manchester. The 24-year-old former British Champion, and World Title challenger was barely tested, and didn’t have to exert much energy in overcoming his limited opponent.
We last saw Hughie defeated by Kubrat Pulev in an IBF Heavyweight Title eliminator in October 2018. A cut hampered Fury in Bulgaria that night, and he was soundly beaten on points. Not much was known about 35-year-old Norrad prior to the contest at the Victoria Warehouse, but the New Brunswick man did travel to England unbeaten in seventeen paid outings. This counted for little as Fury did as he pleased, until finally deciding to end matters at just over halfway through round two. With Norrad trapped in the corner, Fury landed some clubbing blows, with the most telling shot a chopping right hand which felled “The Natural” to the canvas. Norrad heeded and followed the referee’s count but rose at “ten” meaning the contest was waved off.
There was small protest from Norrad, but he ultimately knew that worse would have followed had he beaten the count. Fury was understandably more focused on the future than thinking too much about what little more than a light workout was. “I was messing around in there, taking my time. At this level, it is easy for me” said Hughie. “The losses I have had are experience for the future. I am a lot stronger and fitter now”.
The short term plan is for Hughie to box again in September, against, what his father and trainer, Peter, explained will be against a much higher level of opposition than Norrad.Elsewhere, Savannah Marshall extended her winning run to 6-0, with a first round knockout win against Borislava Goranova , who was taking part in her seventieth contest. The promoter of the nights action was Mick Hennessey, and his son, Michael Hennessey Junior, made his professional debut at Middleweight with a six round points win against the durable Adam Grabiec.
