Fury wins in stunning stoppage of Wilder

“The Gypsy King” crowned as new WBC heavyweight champion after upset win

LAS VEGAS — Tyson Fury is a heavyweight champion once again, dominating Deontay Wilder in their title rematch Saturday night before Wilder’s corner threw in the towel in the seventh round.

A boxer in their first fight, Fury went on the attack in the rematch and knocked Wilder down twice before a flurry of punches in the seventh prompted his corner to call an end to the highly anticipated rematch.

``The king has returned to his throne,’’ proclaimed Fury, whose previous reign as champion was cut short by drugs and alcohol.

Fury dropped Wilder in the third round with a right hand that seemed to take the legs out of the champion. He put him down again in the fifth round, this time with a left hand to the body.

The end came at 1:39 of the seventh round when referee

Kenny Bayless stopped the fight after Wilder’s corner threw in the towel as he was getting pummeled in a neutral corner. Blood was pouring out of Wilder’s ear for several rounds and, in a bizarre scene, Fury appeared to lick drops of it from Wilder’s shoulder in the sixth round.

It was the first loss for Wilder in 44 fights, and it came in the 11th defense of the title he won in 2015.

``Even the greatest have lost and come back,’’ Wilder said. ``I make no excuses. This is what big-time boxing is all about.’’

Fury stalked Wilder almost from the opening bell, using his jab to control the early rounds. He won every round on the scorecard of the Associated Press and was in total command of the fight when it ended.

Wilder briefly protested the stoppage, as a pro-Fury crowd at the MGM Grand

TYSON FURY, OF ENGLAND, KNOCKS DOWN ASSOCIATED PRESS