Shane Fury Jr, the nephew of heavy-weight icon Tyson Fury, has announced himself on the international amateur stage by securing a gold medal at the Under-15 European Championships in Trabzon, Turkey. The young fighter’s championship victory served as the headline achievement during a remarkably successful tournament for England Boxing, which also saw impressive performances from relatives of former world champion Ricky Hatton and heavyweight contender Daniel Dubois. Competing on a high-stakes continental stage, the next generation of British boxing dynasties demonstrated that the sport’s rich family legacies remain firmly intact.
Representing England Boxing in the competitive 70kg weight category, Shane Fury Jr entered the tournament in Trabzon carrying one of the most recognized surnames in combat sports. Despite the spotlight that naturally accompanies his family line, the young prospect delivered a composed, disciplined campaign throughout the tournament. Benefiting from a bye in the opening round, Fury Jr was placed directly into the quarter-finals, where his path to the podium began against a formidable opponent in Ukraine’s Bohdan Moroz.
In his opening bout of the tournament, Fury Jr was forced to dig deep against Moroz in a closely contested match. Showing impressive ring generalship and composure under pressure, the English representative managed to claim a narrow split-decision victory over his Ukrainian opponent. The hard-fought win granted him a spot in the semi-finals, where he faced Dan Florea of Moldova.
Building momentum with every round, Fury Jr produced a polished and dominant boxing display in the semi-finals. He controlled the range and tempo against Florea, leaving no doubt in the eyes of the ringside judges. The judges awarded Fury Jr a convincing unanimous decision victory, propelling him into the 70kg European championship final and guaranteeing him at least a silver medal in his debut international tournament.
In the gold medal final, Fury Jr went head-to-head with Azerbaijan’s Sarkhan Hakverdiyev in a high-intensity bout that demanded every ounce of his skill and determination. Facing an awkward opponent on the biggest stage of his young career, Fury Jr executed his game plan effectively, exchanging sharp combinations and holding his ground in the vital moments of the contest. When the final bell sounded, the judges awarded a split decision in favor of Fury Jr, officially crowning him as the Under-15 European champion in the 70kg division and securing a prestigious gold medal for England.
Following his nephew’s gold medal triumph, former unified world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury—known worldwide as "The Gypsy King"—took to social media to express his immense pride and delight. The heavyweight star shared a heartfelt message celebrating Shane Jr’s accomplishment, emphasizing the immense effort and dedication that laid the groundwork for his success on the international stage.
"Get in there my Shane! He’s done it – the European champion. What a boy!" Tyson Fury wrote in an enthusiastic post shared with his millions of followers. "On his first international tournament, in the toughest tournament in the world, he brings back the gold medal."
Tyson Fury went on to praise his nephew’s relentless work ethic and singular dedication to the sport of boxing, identifying his obsession with self-improvement as the driving force behind his European title win. "He deserves it, he’s dedicated, he puts his life and soul into this sport," Fury continued. "He is the only person who I know who doesn’t care about anything else. He is 100 per cent on his boxing, and he’s a lovely kid, as well."
Looking ahead to the future of the young fighter’s career, Tyson Fury advised boxing fans to keep a close eye on Shane Jr’s continued development as he progresses through the amateur ranks over the coming years. "Wait until you get to see Shane Fury Jr and wait until you are introduced to the real Shane Fury Jr over the years. Next gen – let’s go!" he added.
The sentiment was echoed by Shane Jr’s grandfather, John Fury, who also posted a celebratory message on social media reflecting on the young champion’s achievement in Turkey. John Fury praised his grandson’s tactical maturity and mental fortitude, particularly noting how he adapted to overcome a tricky southpaw opponent in the decisive championship bout.
"You’ve amazed me – I’m so proud of you," John Fury stated in his emotional post. "You dug in, knew what you had to do, fought a good southpaw, awkward kid and you got the job done." Reaffirming the deep-rooted combat heritage that spans multiple generations of the family, John added: "I’m very proud of you – it’s Fury DNA."
Shane Fury Jr’s gold medal victory was part of a hugely successful overall campaign for England Boxing at the Under-15 European Championships, with the national team collecting multiple top-tier medals across both the men’s and women’s divisions in Trabzon.
In the men’s 75kg category, Bilal Iqbal delivered an outstanding campaign of his own, culminating in a gold medal performance against Ukraine’s Vitalii Arovych. Iqbal displayed fine technical skills and sharp counter-punching throughout the final bout to defeat Arovych and claim the European title.
The English women’s squad mirrored that success with dominant performances in their respective weight classes. Millie Rolfe capped off a stellar tournament run by winning gold in the women’s 44kg final, showing great tactical discipline and work rate. Joining her at the top of the podium was Brogan Darrie, who claimed gold in the women’s 40kg category after putting together a series of impressive performances throughout the event.
The tournament in Trabzon also provided a platform for another emerging talent from a high-profile British boxing family: Solomon Dubois. As the younger brother of world-level heavyweight contender Daniel Dubois and world champion Caroline Dubois, Solomon entered the 60kg division carrying significant family pedigree.
Solomon Dubois put together a remarkably strong run to the final of the 60kg weight category. He opened his tournament campaign in commanding style, securing unanimous decision victories in his first two bouts to establish himself as a prime contender for the gold medal. In the semi-finals, Dubois faced Azerbaijan’s Sunay Azimov in a competitive contest, earning a clear 4-1 decision from the judges to earn his place in the final.
In the 60kg gold medal match, Dubois faced a formidable opponent in Russia’s Mikhail Novikov. Despite displaying great resilience and technical quality throughout the final, Dubois was edged out by a 4-1 decision, concluding his tournament campaign with a well-earned silver medal for England Boxing.
Meanwhile, the Hatton boxing bloodline was also represented on the podium in Trabzon courtesy of Lola Hatton. Lola, who is the daughter of former professional boxer Matthew Hatton and the niece of former multi-time world champion Ricky Hatton, competed in the women’s 60kg division.
Hatton fought her way into the medal rounds with impressive performances in the earlier stages of the tournament. Her quest for a European title reached the semi-finals, where she engaged in a closely fought contest against Russia’s Kristina Okhlopkova. In a tight bout that could have gone either way, Okhlopkova emerged with a split-decision victory, bringing Hatton’s run to a close and earning the young English fighter a bronze medal.
The collective achievements of Shane Fury Jr, Solomon Dubois, Lola Hatton, Bilal Iqbal, Millie Rolfe, and Brogan Darrie at the Under-15 European Championships highlight the vibrant health and depth of amateur boxing in England. As these young prospects continue their development on the international scene, sports enthusiasts can also look forward to upcoming major events in the professional ranks, including Chris Billam-Smith’s clash against Cheavon Clarke, set to air live on Sky Sports on November 7, available via Sky Sports packages or streamed contract-free on NOW.
