Tyson Fury beats Deontay Wilder to claim world heavyweight title belt in Las Vegas
23 February 2020, 17:19
Tyson Fury has produced a historic display to overcome the previously unbeaten Deontay Wilder and win the WBC world heavyweight title.
Manchester-born Fury, otherwise known as The Gypsy King, has been compared to one of boxing's most iconic stars - the great Muhammad Ali - after beating the American Wilder at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The Brit stopped his fierce opponent in the seventh round, fourteen months on from the pair's controversial draw in Los Angeles in which Fury was twice knocked down.
However, the tables were turned in the early hours of this morning, with The Gypsy King flooring the former world champion twice and completely dominating in what was a patient and powerful display.
Wilder's team threw in the towel in the seventh round, to put an end to the American's night of misery - until he was later taken to hospital for precautionary checks and stitches in his ear.
It was a night of redemption for Fury, a former unified champion who dethroned the great Wladimir Klitschko before being hit by depression and addiction.
He landed a right hand near Wilder's left ear, causing the champion to go down heavily in the third. In the fifth, a right to the head and a left hook to the body had a tired Wilder down again.
The American got up quickly but looked tired as Fury sought to bring about a conclusive finish. Wilder was in a sorry state by the start of the seventh.
Another left hook had him hurt and all he could offer was his trademark, lazy, looping right hand. Fury pinned him in the corner and the towel came in to anoint a new world heavyweight champion.
Upon being crowned, the charismatic sportsman broke out into song, with a two-minute rendition of American Pie.
British former world cruiserweight champion Glenn McCrory said Fury is boxing his way towards being considered among the greatest of all time.
McCrory said in his role on TalkSport: "A while ago I said, and I was laughed at, that in years to come Tyson Fury will be remembered in the same ilk as Muhammad Ali and he is on his way.
"People said I was stupid, but there is nothing like the Gypsy King.
"He does things differently, the same as Muhammad Ali did, he names rounds and says how he will win and he goes out and does it. Ali is the greatest of all time but Fury is doing some great things in the heavyweight division.
"He got the tactics exactly right. His jab was far sharper, he was pushing the jab hard into Wilder's face.
"That was so conclusive, nobody will want to see a third fight and certainly Deontay Wilder does not want a third fight. Fury should have won the first fight, should have got it on points.
"Now he has gone out there and totally dominated, smashed Deontay Wilder from pillar to post. He will want none of that. There is one champion in the world, he is number one and his name is Tyson Fury."
Lennox Lewis, who produced what is considered to be among the finest fights by a British boxer when he beat Mike Tyson in Memphis in 2002, congratulated Fury on social media.
"Congrats to Tyson Fury on a huge win and bossing his way to the WBC & Ring Heavyweight straps. Once again you showed up big. @BronzeBomber (Deontay Wilder) keep your head up and learn from this," he tweeted.
Thoughts will now turn to where next for both Fury and Wilder, with British rival Anthony Joshua - who holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles - a potential opponent for Fury in a unification fight.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn said he was keen for that to happen, tweeting: "No need for a third let's go straight to it in the Summer! #undisputed."
Hearn also replied to a tweet suggesting he would not want to allow Joshua to step into the ring with Fury, saying: "Ofcourse I am! And AJ wants it bad..this fight is gonna and has to happen this year!"
