WILD NIGHT MAKES FURY A THREE MAN
TYSON FURY retained his WBC heavyweight title but only after rising from the canvas twice before knocking out Deontay Wilder in the 11th round of a classic in Las Vegas.
This third fight between the pair was unquestionably their best, with five knockdowns in total.
Wilder was first to go over after being put on his back in the face of some punishing blows from his great rival. He not only survived the third round but turned the fight on its head in the next with his famed right hand decking Fury twice and this time it was the Briton holding on to preserve his unbeaten record.
But the exertions seemed to take their toll on the American and Fury regained the upper hand around the scheduled halfway stage, evening up the knockdowns in the tenth before a flurry in the penultimate round brought an end to the bout.
Despite the rumours about Fury’s training camp having not gone well, the Gypsy King stood up to all Wilder had to throw at him to retain the title he won from the 35-year-old last year.
Wilder had made Malik Scott his head trainer after sacking Mark Breland and won a court ruling to secure a rematch that took the place of Fury’s planned unification bout with Anthony Joshua, recently deposed as WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO champion.
Originally scheduled for July, the trilogy clash was delayed but there were still very few Britons in attendance due to Covid travel rules.
That did not hamper Fury, who came through his toughest test yet to inflict a costly second loss on his rival. Wilder’s early storm blew out this time but he showed unbelievable courage and resilience to take the best Fury could throw at him until the 11th saw his resistance finally break.
The punches Wilder was aiming carried less power as the fight went on, allowing Fury – recovered from his knockdowns – to pick him off late on.
Wilder was checked by the doctor before the start of the ninth but was allowed to continue. Fury caught up with him in the end, however, and referee Russell Mora flagged it off with the American sprawled on the canvas.
Almost three years on from their first showdown, the pair can finally move on, their careers headed in different directions and Fury more determined than ever to unify the heavyweight division. The trilogy is at an end, Fury victorious over his great rival for the final time.
THEY SAID IT
‘It wasn’t my greatest night. Two years out the ring, it wasn’t all there. But I did enough.’ Tyson Fury