Hughie Fury, the 18-year-old cousin of heavyweight contender Tyson Fury, seems as if he might be a more mild-mannered sort than his motor-mouthed relative.

While six-foot-nine Tyson, 24, prepares for his US debut against American veteran Steve Cunningham at Madison Square Garden on April 20, the six-foot-eight inch tall Hughie will make his professional debut in Montreal at the Bell Centre this Friday night in a heavyweight scrap against journeyman David Whittom. He’s also slated to appear on the under-card of his cousin’s MSG date.

Unlike his cousin, who has been verbally disparaging the world champion Klitschko brothers with increasing regularity of late, Hughie Fury wants to make it clear that he respects the Ukrainian siblings who’ve ruled the division for the last decade.

“I admire the Klitschko brothers – they have long held the world title. I respect them,” says young Fury, whose idols include Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, and Roy Jones, Jr.

Hughie, who like Tyson is trained by his father Peter Fury, also says he has little time for those boxers who constantly disparage the current champs.

“This is stupid,” he says.

“It’s impossible to treat with disrespect boxers who have been holding championships, because that means that you do not respect the sport. I just want to learn the craft and do not intend to be the one who disrespects others. ”

Hmmm. Maybe Hughie should have a word with his cousin, who has of late been using words like “bitch” and “pussy” to describe world champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Already, it seems, Hughie Fury is making it clear that he intends to be his own man, and not just an adjunct of his more highly strung cousin.

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