Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder 2: A Modern Day Classic

 

Fury-Wilder 2

MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

22nd February 2020 

WBC Heavyweight Title

 

Official Weight: 273 pounds/123.83 Kg (Fury) 231 pounds/104.78 Kg (Wilder)

 

Round One: Tyson Fury, as promised in the pre-fight build up, rushed out at the bell to claim the centre of the ring and take the fight to the hard hitting champion. This time around the challenger looked to land a solid jab and follow it up with a hard right, where last time out he worked behind a flicking jab.

It was Wilder who connected with the first solid right of the contest, but Fury shook it off and proceeded with the game plan. The challenger connected with a big right of his own and made WIlder retreat and cover up. The Gypsy King hardly put a foot wrong in the opening three minutes and had the champion on the backfoot with his solid left lead.

 

Round Two: The jab was again a dominating factor, snapping back Wilder’s head until he found one of his big rights to even things out. Fury took it well and continued to press forward. His jab was causing problems and just before the bell he landed his best right hand of the fight so far. Wilder wasn’t done and clipped the challenger with a right high on the head and after a retaliatory right hook both men found themselves in a corner rabbit punching each other at the bell.

Round Three: Referee Kenny Bayless warned both boxers for the use of their head before allowing the gladiators to resume. The challenger continued to drive the champion back, sticking out his jab then suddenly nailing Wilder with a hard right. The champion was repeatedly getting his head snapped back and had little reply to Fury’s stalking.

 

With 35 seconds of the round remaining Fury clipped Wilder around the left ear with a right. The champion tasted the canvas as the referee led Fury to a neutral corner. To the champion’s dismay Bayless initiated a count.

 

Wilder was on unsteady feet as Fury landed another right. They came together and the champion’s forward momentum had him falling to the floor, as the referee waved his hands in a no knockdown gesture. It was a big round for Fury and Wilder trundled back to his corner with a bloody lip and blood pouring out of his left ear.

 

Round Four: Wilder started with a positive jab, only for Fury to drive forward again and put the champion on the backfoot. Wilder’s legs were still unsteady and he fell to the canvas after getting caught up with Fury’s feet. Bayless getsured no knockdown, wiped down Wilder’s gloves and let the action resume. 

 

Fury landed a right, then easily evaded a cumbersome right from the champion, before tying him up. The Gypsy King used his weight and size to continue his assault forward. He couldn’t miss Wilder, who resembled Bamdi on ice at times, before unleashing an ineffective right to end the round.

 

Round Five: Fury started with a salvo of rights which had the champion retreating to the ropes, swinging wild rights of his own in retaliation. The challenger was now roughing up Wilder on the inside and the Bronze Bomber wasn’t used to being manhandled by an opponent.

The challenger bulled forward, using his considerable size and strength, firing a left hook to the head. When Wilder blocked the punch Fury threw a left hook to the body. The force of the punch put the champion down for the second time in the fight.

It wasn’t a damaging body blow as Wilder got up straight away. The knockdown just cemented another dominant round and the champion was already a mile behind on the judges’ cards. Fury piled on the pressure as Wilder responded with a right. The momentum of the punch along with his unbalanced equilibrium  nearly sent him to the canvas for a third time.

 

Wilder looked like a ragdoll and it seemed Fury just needed to catch him with one clean punch and the WBC belt would be changing hands. To Wilder’s credit he managed to take the punches without going down. 

 

Bayless then harshly deducted a point from the challenger for pushing the champion’s head down, turning a 10-8 round into a 9-8 one. The point deduction didn’t faze the Gypsy King as he finished the round with a flurry.

 

Round Six: Wilder was still having issues with his balance, stumbling back as Fury advanced forward and let his hands go whilst in a corner. The challenger continued to bully forward and the champion was having difficulty keeping the heavier man at bay. The Gypsy King could hardly miss as the Bronze Bomber seemed content to stay on the ropes and let the challenger tee off on him.

 

Fury’s face and body was covered in blood; it wasn’t his, it came from the cut lip and bleeding ear of his opponent, who looked there for the taking as he wearily made his way back to the corner.

Round Seven: The challenger stalked forward and landed a lead left hook. Fury patiently jabbed, stalking his prey before springing into action. Wilder backed away and tied up the bigger man as the referee separated them and carefully looked at the bloody champion before allowing them to continue.

 

Suddenly the champion sprang into action with Fury easily evading the punches coming his way. Fury once again stalked forward and had Wilder covering up in the ring corner. He wasn’t taking anything clean but it was apparent the champion had nothing left and trainer Mark Breland threw in the towel at the one minute and 39 second mark of the round. 

 

Result: Fury won by TKO

Judges’ Scorecards after six completed rounds: Glenn Feldman 58-52 (Fury), Dave Moretti 59-52 (Fury), Steve Weisfeld 59-52 (Fury). 

All the best fight fans 

Lea 

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