The Tyson Fury–Deontay Wilder boxing trilogy came to a spectacular end on Saturday night in Las Vegas (October 9th 2021) when Fury knocked out an exhausted Wilder in the 11th round. This was only the fifth trilogy between heavyweight champions in boxing history - after and The earlier trilogies had all been tied after two fights, whereas Fury entered the third fight unbeaten – after a controversial draw (many observers felt he had beaten Wilder on points) and a decisive victory.
I was unable to watch the fight live, as I would normally have done, because the sports bars in HCMC are closed owing to Covid. So I had to make do with a running from CBS Sports on my laptop. After the fight I was able to watch a video recording on Youtube.
The ring walks were ludicrous. Wilder – looking vaguely African in a red mask and cape and preceded by a mumbling rapper – entered the ring first. Then Fury – in black and red Roman generals garb, wearing green boxing gloves, escorted by a cohort of helmeted and warriors – approached the ring to the accompaniment
of AC/DCs ‘You Shook Me All Night Long. Quite the most top ring entrance I have ever seen. If the contest were decided just on spectacle, then Tyson Fury was the winner.
Just before the fight, when asked whether he believed Wilders new trainer would make a difference, Fury had said: No. Its one shithouse teaching another shithouse how to fight. Both a pack of losers, and they both aint worth a sausage. He couldnt teach him anything. Man couldnt fight himself, he was a shithouse. So when youve got a shithouse teaching another shithouse how to fight, youre in for a real pack of shithouse cowards. Wilder had thrown similar, if less mellifluously phrased, insults. However, when the bell rang for the start of Round 1, all the posturing and badmouthing and braggadocio and showbiz counted for nothing. The time for bullshit and hype was over. Within the 35 square metres of the boxing ring all that mattered now was punches.
Before the fight, I had predicted a points victory for Fury. Although Wilder is a venomous puncher, I was not sure if he could knock Fury out. Knock him down maybe, but not
knock him out. Fury had got up from a Wilder bombshell in the final round of their first fight, so I figured the most likely result was a points victory for the more skilful Fury.
It proved to be a memorable fight because both boxers were on attack. No quarter was asked or given. It was an with five knockdowns. First blood to Fury, when Wilder went down in Round 3. Then Wilder decked Fury twice in Round 4. And in Rounds 10 and 11, Wilder hit the canvas twice. By then he was totally exhausted and way behind on points, but there was a pleasing finality about the knockout.
During the fight, Fury used every pound of his 277lb frame to lean into, bully and make Wilder feel His left jab was potent, and his right hand was murderous. Wilders defensive skills were almost He kept his hands low, allowing Fury to tag him at will. Wilder had only one thing going for him: his fearsome right hand. Throughout the fight, he stalked Fury, looking to land the killer blow. In 42 out of the 44 professional bouts he had fought prior
to this one, he had knocked out every opponent - the best KO ratio in heavyweight boxing history. Only Tyson Fury had escaped that executioners right hand.
Tyson Fury is no ordinary boxer. He is a colossus, dwarfing other heavyweights in both weight and height. Unlike some heavyweights who look supremely fit (Wilder and Anthony Joshua), Fury has a belly and carries layers of flab around his waist. Beside the beautifully chiselled Wilder, he cuts a bloated and figure. How could this ungainly giant with love handles with the ‘Bronze Bomber? Well, appearances can be deceptive. Despite his appearance, Fury was lighter on his feet than the plodding Wilder and had the greater stamina.
