Saturday night saw Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury’s titanic heavyweight showdown officially confirmed as the WBC World heavyweight champion came to face-to-face with the lineal heavyweight champion of the world at Windsor Park in Belfast.
In the aftermath of Fury’s dominant display against Francesco Pianeta, the unbeaten Wilder climbed on to the ring and through the ropes before engaging in a face-off with the former WBA/IBF/WBO champion. As the men exchanged verbals on live television, the announcement of the bout has truly whet the appetite of the boxing world – with fans eager to see whether this is the right time for Tyson to step back in to World level contention against the consensus hardest-hitter in the division.
No one truly knows if Fury can produce the same levels he did in November 2015 – when he dethroned long time heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko – and that is the question on the mind of every boxing fan. If he is able to reproduce the same form, it is difficult to see who can beat him.
The 6ft 9″ Mancunian possesses a skill-set that is both unusual for a heavyweight, but at the same time mesmerising for boxing purists. While not known as the one punch knockout merchant that boxing fans love to see, Fury’s slick, hit-and-not-be-hit style is what makes him unique and a joy to watch when in full-flow.
However, the leap in quality of opponent from Pianeta to Wilder is a significant one. Wilder will look to leave it all in the ring, whereas Fury’s two comeback opponents have failed to present a challenge much sterner than that of glorified sparring partners. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ possesses an awkwardness of his own – coupled with crippling knockout power – and is coming off of a career-best victory over much-avoided Cuban ‘boogeyman’ Luis Ortiz in March. After being criticised for his own modest opposition, Wilder has shown a recent willingness to test himself against some of the division’s trickiest customers: and is beginning to look the part as a true champion in the process.
The bout with Fury was agreed as a consequence to the long-winded and, ultimately, unproductive negotiations between Wilder and unified Anthony Joshua, as the division sought to crown a first undisputed heavyweight king since Lennox Lewis.
Questions can then be asked if Wilder is using the Fury fight simply as an opportunity to promote himself and a potential future fight with Joshua. The unbeaten British star is scheduled to face WBA mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin on September 22nd at Wembley Stadium in arguably his toughest test since his 2017 ‘Fight of the Year’ epic with Wladimir Klitschko at the same venue.
With the lure of the Joshua fight on the horizon, the unbeaten American will have to be wary of possibly overlooking Fury – which could prove to be a monumental mistake considering the awkwardness and unpredictability of ‘The Gypsy King’.
Fury will be keen to reintroduce himself to the boxing world on a global stage – once again upsetting the odds in toppling the fearsome Alabama-native and claiming the WBC World heavyweight title: the one title that has so far eluded him in his career.
Article by: Andi Purewal
Follow Andi on Twitter at: @AndiPurewal