Fury tames Wilder after epic slugfest
Champ acknowledges rival’s effort after 11th round knockout win
After three fights featuring nine combined knockdowns and a wealth of unforgettable moments, Tyson Fury finally ended his epic heavyweight rivalry with Deontay Wilder with one last valedictory punch.
Fury got up from the canvas twice in the fourth round and eventually stopped Wilder with a devastating right hand in the 11th round, retaining his WBC title last night in a thrilling conclusion to a superlative boxing trilogy.
Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) finished Wilder for the second straight time in their three bouts, but only after a back-and-forth event featuring five combined knockdowns and several apparent moments of imminent defeat for both men. Wilder ultimately ended up facedown on the canvas at 1:10 of the 11th round after a chopping right hook by the 6-foot-9 Fury.
“It was a great fight,” said Fury, the sport’s lineal heavyweight champion and a former unified world champ. “He’s a top fighter, and he gave me a real (test) tonight.”
Wilder (42-2-1) was knocked down in the third round but he improbably rallied to knock down Fury twice in the final minutes of the fourth.
Fury dropped Wilder again with a heavy right midway through the 10th, but Wilder stung him back as the round ended. Fury, though, persevered in the 11th, climbing on to the ropes in weary celebration.