Saturday night was one of the greatest moments in the history of English boxing, where Tyson Fury shocked the world to claim the world heavyweight championship, defeating Wladimir Klitschko on points.
There has been a lot of talk about who should be the first person to challenge the new heavyweight champion, but who from the rugby world would we like to fight Fury in a dream match?
Here are our suggestions:
Luke Charteris
The huge Welsh second row would match Fury inch for inch and have a greater reach than the fighter from Morecambe. The 6ft 10-inch player was the biggest player at this year’s World Cup and would be able to fight at a distance, jabbing Fury from range. On the field, he is not shy to back out from a challenge and give everything for his side.
The 32-year-old who currently plays for Bath has plenty of experience behind him and would know when to unleash a flurry of attack and when to maintain his energy.
Paul O’Connell
A leader amongst men for Ireland, Paul O’Connell, is someone who would leave absolutely everything in ring and battle away at Fury to the bitter end. Over the years, he has been in numerous battles on the rugby field and would have the chin to go the distance with the heavyweight champion.
He is 6 foot 6 and 243 pounds so would be able to go pound for pound with Fury, to deliver some impressive shots. In the gym room, he is a monster and can bench a staggering 395 pound. He certainly has the power to put up a fight.
Henry Tuilagi
This list would not be complete without a wild Samoan on it. Henry Tuilangi is known to be one of the hardest hitters in the game, leaving his mark on players from across the world. Despite being just 6 foot he is a huge presence and another potential fighter who could match Fury.
The power he can generate from his tree trunk like legs would almost certainly have the ability to stun Fury, and everyone knows that a Samoan would leave everything in the ring, giving it everything. He has the stamina to go the distance and throw hundreds of punches, certainly more than Klitschko would.
Jamie Cudmore
The 37-year-old 6 foot 6 monster from Canada certainly has experience on his side and is known for his physical style of play. He would do absolutely anything to hurt Fury, and his history shows that he would. As a teenager, he was an enforcer for a drug dealer in his home town and spent a year in a youth detention centre following a conviction for assault. He must be tough to perform a role like that.
He even would have a suitable ring name in cuddles, an ironic name given by his team mates for his rough and intimidating style of play on the field.
Sonny Bill Williams
The most obvious man from the rugby world who could step in the ring with Tyson Fury for the ultimate rugby boxing dream match. He even has experience in the ring with a 7-0 record back in Australia. He may not have the height to match with the champion, but his speed would defiantly be an enormous threat. He has achieved so much in plenty of sports across the world and is mentally tough enough to step in the ring with a world champion.
Three of his seven wins by TKO and has also proven he can go the distance. He will be more than up for the fight and even has the technical ability to put up a good match.