‘Unknown’ Wilder aims to get US fans on his side

– Deontay Wilder (below) will aim to rekindle America’s love affair with heavyweight boxing tonight when he faces Britain’s Tyson Fury in a high-stakes showdown of undefeated fighters.

As the reigning World Boxing Council champion, Wilder is the latest custodian of a belt which has been worn by some of the heavyweight division’s most iconic names.

Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson head the Who’s Who of Wilder’s predecessors.

Yet as Wilder prepares for the eighth defence of a title he has held since 2015, he remains a virtual unknown.

At the age of 33, Wilder has compiled an impressive record which includes 40 victories, no defeats, with 39 knockouts.

But his unblemished record and undeniable punching power have yet to capture the imagination of American fans.

The 6ft 7in Wilder faces off against Fury, the trash-talking “Gypsy King” who is also unbeaten, with 27 wins from 27 fights, 19 inside the distance.

For Wilder, tonight’s fight at the Staples Centre is an opportunity to announce himself.

“America has a mighty man in me,” Wilder boasted at an ill-tempered press conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday. “America has the baddest man on the planet.”

Victory for Wilder or Fury will thrust them to the front of the queue to face Britain’s Anthony Joshua, holder of the International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organisation heavyweight belts.

Three years ago, Fury stunned the boxing world after defeating champion Wladimir Klitschko to claim the undisputed crown.

However, this was to be followed by a descent into despair. Fury, who was subsequently stripped of those belts amid two failed drug tests, recently revealed he had tried to commit suicide.

“I just wanted to die so bad, I gave up on life,” Fury said.

But with his demons overcome, Fury returned, stopping Albanian Sefer Seferi in four rounds in April before outpointing little-known Francesco Pianeta in August. –