Hughie Fury’s return to the ring in Holland ended almost as soon as it began, with the heavyweight forced to settle for a first-round technical knockout after opponent Michael Webster signalled an injury barely a minute into the contest.
Fury, the cousin of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, had hoped the bout would provide much-needed rounds following a long, enforced absence from the sport.
Instead, the evening delivered little more than a brief exchange and a sense of unfinished business.
The opening moments were lively enough, with both British fighters engaging at close quarters in a scrappy, old-fashioned exchange.
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Fury appeared to gain the early advantage, backing Webster into a corner and beginning to assert control.
But just as the contest looked set to develop, Webster abruptly gestured to the referee that he could not continue, bringing the fight to an anticlimactic halt.
Although the result officially goes down as a first-round TKO, Fury took little satisfaction from the manner of victory.
Five facts about boxing that fans might not know | GBNEWS/PAThe 31-year-old made clear that the abbreviated contest had done nothing to sharpen him for the sterner challenges he hopes to secure as he attempts to re-establish himself among the heavyweight contenders.
Speaking in the ring afterwards, he apologised to the Dutch crowd for the lack of action, acknowledging the spectators had seen only the briefest glimpse of what he had intended to show.
Still, the short outing did offer a reminder of Fury’s physical strength.
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In the limited exchanges available, he demonstrated enough punching power to move Webster back and dictate the early tempo.
Accompanied to the ring by his father and trainer Peter Fury, and entering to the soundtrack of DMX, he arrived ready for a proper examination - but left with little more than a presence on the night’s undercard.
Fury’s record now stands at 31–3, a statistic that partly disguises the momentum he lost during nearly three years out of the ring.
A rare skin condition and long Covid restricted him to the sidelines during what should have been key prime years, halting his climb after respectable performances against elite opponents.
His three defeats came only against world-level fighters: Alexander Povetkin, Joseph Parker and Kubrat Pulev.
For a former British heavyweight champion once viewed as a significant prospect, the long lay-off presents both a physical challenge and a career rebuild.
Hughie Fury is the cousin of British boxing icon Tyson Fury
|GETTY
Precisely what comes next remains unclear.
Fury has repeatedly stated his desire to become active again, rebuild his ranking and position himself for meaningful fights.
But the stoppage in Holland offers few clues as to his readiness for that level.
Without rounds, rhythm or opportunity to gauge progress, he leaves with little more than the knowledge that he has at least resumed his career.
The bout took place on a busy night for British boxing. Jeamie TKV delivered a major upset in a brutal fight that went the distance, dethroning Frazer Clarke to claim the British heavyweight title.
Meanwhile, Ben Whittaker produced a devastating first-round knockout in his Matchroom debut, flattening Benjamin Gavazi with a right hand so heavy that the defeated fighter required oxygen in the ring.