Wilder keeps heavyweight title, fights Fury to draw

LOS ANGELES Tyson Fury dominated long stretches of his heavyweight title bout against Deontay Wilder with shifty technique and graceful defence.

He still ended up flat on the canvas in the 12th round, his eyes rolling backward while Wilder celebrated above him.

Fury somehow gathered his wits, rose and made it to the final bell. That’s when both hulking men heard a verdict that didn’t satisfy them, but nearly guaranteed a rematch of this exciting showdown.

Wilder and Fury fought to a split draw Saturday night, with Wilder retaining his WBC heavyweight title after knocking down his British challenger twice.

“One hundred per cent we’ll do the rematch,” Fury said. “We are two great champions. Me and this man are the two best heavyweights on the planet.”

Wilder (40-0-1) floored Fury (27-0-1) in the ninth and final rounds, yet Fury clearly outboxed Wilder for large portions of their meeting at Staples Center.

Fury appeared to be on his way to a decision victory when he came out for the final round — and a minute later, he looked totally finished when Wilder put him on his back with a right-left combination. Yet Fury rose, summoning strength at the critical moment of his comeback from a 2 1/2-year ring absence amid bouts of drug abuse and depression.

“I hope I did you all proud after nearly three years out of the ring,” Fury said. “I was never going to be knocked out tonight. I showed good heart to get up. I came here tonight and I fought my heart out.”

While Wilder kept his belt, Fury remained the unofficial lineal champion of the heavyweight division by virtue of his victory over Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015.