The Gypsy King Tyson Fury reigns supreme again.
In one of the of the more definitive early victories of 2020, Fury dominated Deontay Wilder from the opening bell tonight to win the World Boxing Council heavyweight title in a seventh round technical knockout of their much anticipated rematch. Referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight as Wilder’s corner threw in the towel.
Fury, who many felt won the first fight between the two, decided to take the fight to Wilder. He pressed the action rather than just box and waiting to counter Wilder. Also in taking a page from the Wladimir Klitschko playbook Fury used his size to lean on Wilder and tire him out.
While the first two rounds saw Fury slightly walk Wilder down the fight took a turn in the third when Fury landed a right hand around Wilder’s left ear and scored a knockdown, the first in Wilder’s career. The punch likely busted Wilder’s eardrum and its effects showed as he looked to be on unsteady legs for the rest of the fight. Fury afterwards varied his attack by adding body shots and uppercuts while still smothering Wilder. The smothering got to the point that Bayless deducted a point in the fifth round from Fury after multiple warnings.
Ultimately Wilder didn’t have the balance to land a clean right hand against Fury, let alone throw it effectively.
After the fight Wilder stated that he was unhappy that his corner stopped the fight as he wanted to go out on his shield but that the better man won in the end. He also stated that he had a leg injury prior to the fight.
Wilder will likely have significant time off to heal from his injuries. While he can enact a rematch clause to make it a trilogy it would be foolish to rush back into the ring.
As for Fury he can celebrate that his comeback is now complete. Along with the WBC belt he also won the Ring Magazine title and can claim that he has held every major heavyweight title at some point in his career. What awaits him now is a full unification fight against World Boxing Association/World Boxing Organization/International Boxing Federation champion and fellow Brit Anthony Joshua. The fight would be a blockbuster event whether it would be in the United States or back in the United Kingdom.
The Fury-Joshua clash won’t come right away though. Joshua already has a mandatory IBF title defense against Kubrat Pulev lined for likely June and Fury will likely be ordered to defend his new title again fellow Brit Dillion Whyte. It will be very unlikely that the mega fight will happen this year.
In the meantime Fury will have to make sure that he won’t commit the same mistakes he did the first time when he dethroned Klitschko in 2015. Back then Fury let addiction get a hold and it derailed a lucrative Klitschko rematch ultimately forcing him into retirement. He now has a second chance to show that he can handle the spotlight he rightfully earned tonight.
For now though Fury can soak in the admiration from fans both old and new while serenading with his camp.
And there will be much serenading throughout the night.