Tyson Fury recovers from two knockdowns in the fourth round to complete a stunning knockout victory over Deontay Wilder as the British star retained his WBC heavyweight title and preserved his unbeaten (31-0-1) record in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The match was more competitive than many expected but still ended as most predicted, with the Gypsy King outboxing the American to remain the undefeated lineal champion.
After losing the WBC belt to Fury 20 months ago in a one-sided bout, Wilder was the aggressor early, using his jab to back up the larger Fury while seizing on every opportunity to throw his powerful right hand.
Fury weathered the early storm and knocked Wilder down in the third round with a short uppercut but the American responded in the fourth, knocking Fury down twice with shots to the head from close range.
In a tense opening round, Wilder tried to enforce his aggressive tactics as he forced Fury onto the back foot with stinging body shots and clubbing right hands.
But Fury began to find the range with his hurtful straight right hand in the second, then unloaded it perfectly in the third to daze Wilder, who was cuffed to the canvas.
A punishing battle was taking its toll on Wilder as Fury’s right hand sent him crumpling to the canvas in the 10th round, and still he threw back, but Fury finally concluded their saga in the 11th as a huge right hand sent Wilder crashing spectacularly to the canvas.
Tyson Fury landed 150 body punches on Deontay Wilder, with 114 of them being power punches. The other 36 were jabs.
“It was a great fight tonight, it was worthy of any trilogy in the history of the sport,” Fury said on Saturday.
“Deontay Wilder’s a top fighter, he gave me a real run for my money. I always said I’m the best in the world and he’s second best.”
“I went over to shake his hand and say well done and he was like ‘No, I don’t respect you’.”
What next for Fury?
“Before I think about fighting other men, I’m going to bask in this victory because this tonight was one of my greatest wins,” he said on his next fight.
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