Wednesday 2 December 2015 15:59, UK
Barry Hearn was amazed Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko but said the new world champion's victory was a result of perfect tactics.
And with Anthony Joshua rising through the heavyweight ranks, Hearn feels British boxing is in the midst of a golden era, capped by Fury's superb victory on Saturday night.
Fury claimed the WBA, IBF and WBO titles with a points victory over Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday in Dusseldorf which Hearn admitted came as a surprise to him but was one which was perfectly planned and executed.
"I was amazed by the result to be perfectly honest with you, as most pundits were," he told Sky Sports News HQ. "Tyson Fury's tactics were spot on, both pre-fight and during the fight.
"He played the right mind games before the fight and lots of physical games during the fight but where was Klitschko?
"Was that a world champion for 10 years? He hardly threw a punch. That tells me that Fury's team got the tactics right and how he boxed baffled him.
"This was the first time in a long time that Klitschko was fighting a man who was as big as he was and who had hunger and desire to win and I think that made a difference."
Attention now turns to establishing the identity of Fury's opponent for his first defence, with Klitschko holding a rematch clause and WBC title holder Deontay Wilder openly targeting a unification bout.
Fury has categorically stated he will not grant old adversary David Haye a shot, while rising British star Anthony Joshua could take a step closer to contention if he can beat Dillion White on December 12.
"For Tyson Fury, his whole world has changed now," said Hearn. "But as far as Klitschko is concerned, I know there is a rematch clause but he looked gun-shy, he looked old, I'm not sure he'd want to fight Fury again.
"So then you have to look at the bigger picture. Is it Deontay Wilder from the WBC, is it (Alexander) Povotkin, who is the mandatory challenger, is it AJ? We'll see on December 12 just what a talent he is.
"The winner of that fight is going to be a potential fight for Tyson Fury. This is a brilliant time for British boxing. When was the last time we had 12 world champions in the United Kingdom?"
