Fury cruises through to set up Wilder bout
SIGNED, sealed and delivered. Tyson Fury versus Francesco Pianeta was not as vibrant as the duet between Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, that’s for sure. But it delivered unto the Gypsy King his world heavyweight title super fight with WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
‘It’s on,’ screamed the American as he climbed into the ring to congratulate Fury after the whitewash victory which turns all eyes to Las Vegas in November.
This was the rubber-stamping of a mega-bucks contract.
Each of these giants vowed to knock the other out when that winter’s day comes.
And Fury sent a barb the way of Anthony Joshua when he said: ‘Here are two men willing to fight. Not like that other chump, Me and Wilder are two men who will fight anybody. They called and I answered. They sent the contract, I said yes. One thing I promise when I go to Las Vegas — and that I’m knocking you out, boy.’
Wilder added: ‘We are ready now. This fight will happen. It’s on. This fight is official. It’s on baby. This I what we’ve been waiting for — the best fighting the best.
‘It’s one thing Tyson Fury has never had — he’s had many belts but he’s never had the WBC belt. But if he ever thinks about it he better wake up and apologise.
‘I’m going to knock you out and I promise you that. You’ve never been knocked out but you’re going to feel the experience of getting hit by the Bronze Bomber.’
This was more akin to an exhibition match but the grumbling turned to roars as Fury promised: ‘I’m going to win this man’s belt and bring it back to defend right here in Belfast.’
Fury piled up the points and, by the seventh, it had become a procession, with Fury’s progress interrupted only when he was warned for landing a blow, from which Pianeta was given time to recover by referee Steve Gray.
Pianeta continued to give Fury his work out and there was even a little posturing in the 10th.
When it comes to Wilder, Fury cannot afford to be caught by the kind of left hooks which Pianeta landed. But he has the time not only to shed a little more weight but to re-perfect his act.
Home hero Carl Frampton later beat Australia’s Luke Jackson following a ninth-round stoppage to successfully defend his interim IBO featherweight title and set up a showdown with Josh Warrington later this year for the IBF world featherweight title.