By Geno McGahee
Tyson Fury, 30-0-1, 21 KO’s, insisted that he was going to knock out defending WBC champion, Deontay Wilder, 42-1-1, 41 KO’s, but it didn’t seem likely. At 273 pounds, the master strategist put forth a game plan that Wilder had no answer for. In 43 fights, Wilder was never pressed. It was sort of like George Foreman. The opponents would move away and stay out of danger, which gave him the range to lower the boom. Fury, learning from the first fight, decided to push Wilder back and roll the dice.
In the opening round, Fury ran out of his corner and started stalking Wilder. Wilder would land a right hand but it didn’t have the usual impact. Fury kept on pushing and unloading when Wilder was against the ropes. In the second round, Fury would rattle Wilder and the tone was set. Wilder was not finding his range or a method to unload his monster right hand that had never failed him up until this point.
In the third round, Fury landed a right hand behind the left ear of Wilder, sending him crashing to the floor. Wilder arose, bleeding from the ear and with his legs gone, didn’t have much left, but fought on. It was all Fury as this point. In the fourth round, the battering continued and the fifth round would feature another knockdown. Fury landed a hard body shot that put an off balanced Wilder down.
In the corner, the desperation was evident for Wilder. He was wobbly, swollen and bleeding from his ear rather badly. He went out and took more of a beating. In round seven, while being pummeled in the corner, Wilder’s corner threw in the towel to save their brave warrior.
Fury claimed the WBC heavyweight title with this shocking knockout win and can now move on to the biggest fight in British boxing history as he would take on fellow Brit and fellow champion, Anthony Joshua. For Wilder, his future should be interesting. With Fury creating the game plan to beat him and erasing his aura of invincibility, will his future opponents elect to attack instead of move? If they do, what will that do for Wilder and will he evolve and be able to come back?
Tyson Fury had the night of his life, reclaimed the heavyweight title after a long battle with emotional demons and is now back on top of the world. It’s a great story and amazing accomplishment from one of the best personalities boxing has ever seen.
