Tyson Fury, who made his ringwalk in regal attire, has been crowned the new WBC and Ring Magazine heavyweight champion of the world with a sensational seventh-round stoppage victory over Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas.
In what was surely one of the most memorable nights in British boxing history, the early proceedings were punctuated by almost unbearable tension as Fury charged into the centre of the ring and took the offensive initiative early, stalking the Tuscaloosa native around the ring.
Fury’s assertive yet educated approach represented a stark contrast to his largely defensive strategy in the first fight, but the threat posed by Wilder was evident at this point when he connected with some of his trademark right hands whilst on the retreat.
However, Fury was undeterred and simply would not be denied, making a significant breakthrough in the third round when a right hand sent the champion spiralling to the canvas, sending the thousands of British fans at the MGM Grand into a breathless frenzy.
The Bronze Bomber made it to his feet, nursing an apparently ruptured eardrum that severely compromised his equilibrium, and spent the next couple of rounds attempting to regain his composure but was ultimately reduced to staggering naround the ring on unsteady legs as Fury hurt him repeatedly with a series of shots.
Fury was smelling blood – literally and figuratively – as Wilder, whose left ear was a crimson mess, was dropped once again by a crippling body shot in the fifth round before somehow scrambling to his feet and surviving the stanza.
It was largely one-way traffic at this point as Wilder, who was stumbling around like a drunkard, was inexplicably able to withstand Fury’s onslaught until eventually succumbing to the punishment in the seventh round, as the referee and his corner simultaneously signalled an end to the contest.
After a whirlwind couple of years, it is safe to say that the self-styled ‘Gypsy King’ has returned to the summit of the heavyweight division.
Although Wilder has the first option on a trilogy fight, fans will naturally be keen to see an undisputed showdown between Fury WBA, WBO, and IBF counterpart Anthony Joshua.
Report by: Navi Singh
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