Wilder’s a ‘one-trick’ pony’, says Fury as he eyes victory in Vegas
TYSON Fury has dismissed Deontay Wilder as a “one-trick pony” ahead of their WBC heavyweight title rematch in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
Britain’s Fury failed in his bid to snatch the belt from the champion when he was dropped twice in their 2018 bout, earning Wilder a draw despite being out-boxed for much of the fight.
Wilder’s renowned power was evidenced that night when he knocked Fury down in rounds nine and 12, with the latter a particularly devastating shot which the Mancunian somehow recovered from.
Many believe that power will ensure Wilder keeps the belt again when the pair fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this weekend, but Fury believes he has the measure of his man.
“There’s no stress about his power going into the fight,” he said. “I’ve been 12 rounds with him, out-boxed him quite comfortably, took his best shots, got up, fired back at him.
“The one who should be concerned is Deontay Wilder because he is a one-trick pony.
“He’s a knockout artist, but he knocked me down twice in two rounds, nine and 12. And he had over two minutes in each round to finish me and he couldn’t finish me. It was like on (video game) Mortal Kombat. They said ‘finish him!’, and then he couldn’t finish me.
“He’s the one who should be concerned. He’s landed the two best punches that any heavyweight in the world could ever land on somebody else, and the Gypsy King rose like a phoenix from the ashes back to my feet and hurt him at the end of the round.
“So yeah, it’s going to be pretty difficult for Wilder, not me. This is heavyweight boxing.
“I’ve been hit, I’ve been hurt, I’ve been put down in my career, but it’s not about when we get put down, it’s what happens when we get back up and keep moving forward.”
Fury has a new cuts man – in case the wound that needed 47 stitches after September’s win over Otto Wallin re-opens – and has recruited the chef used by UFC star Conor McGregor.
Perhaps most important of all, though, is his pledge to move away from his evasive style and attempt to knock out a feared puncher.
“What I did last time clearly wasn’t good enough, so we are going to go for the knockout,” said Fury. “I think Wilder will come out of the gates like a galloping horse, flat out, to try to knock me out.”