Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder are two of the most dominant and charismatic heavyweight boxers of the modern era. They have faced each other three times in the ring, with Fury winning twice and one fight ending in a draw. Their rivalry is marked by drama, controversy, and excitement.
Fury vs Wilder 1
The first fight between Fury and Wilder took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on December 1, 2018. The fight was billed as “The World Awaits”, as it was a clash between the undefeated WBC champion Wilder, who had 39 knockouts in 40 fights, and the undefeated former unified champion Fury, who had dethroned Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 but had struggled with mental health and substance abuse issues.
The fight was a classic, as Fury outboxed and frustrated Wilder with his movement, feints, and jabs, while Wilder landed his powerful right hand twice, dropping Fury in the ninth and twelfth rounds. Fury miraculously got up from both knockdowns, and even hurt Wilder in the final round. The fight ended in a split draw, with the scorecards at 115–111 for Wilder, 114–112 for Fury, and 113–113. Many observers felt that Fury deserved the win, as he had controlled most of the rounds.
Fury vs Wilder 2
The rematch took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on February 22, 2020. The fight was billed as “Unfinished Business”, as both fighters wanted to prove who was the better man. Fury changed his trainer and his strategy, as he vowed to be more aggressive and knock out Wilder. He delivered on his promise, as he dominated Wilder from the start, dropping him in the third and fifth rounds, and forcing his corner to throw in the towel in the seventh round. Fury became the new WBC and The Ring champion, and the first man to stop Wilder in his professional career.
Fury vs Wilder 3
The trilogy fight took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on October 9, 2021. The fight was billed as “Once And For All”, as it was the final chapter of their epic saga. Wilder exercised his contractual right to a third fight, despite Fury’s attempts to move on and face Anthony Joshua for the undisputed title. Wilder changed his trainer and his physique, as he weighed in at a career-high 238 pounds, while Fury weighed in at 277 pounds, his second-heaviest weight.
The fight was a war, as both fighters exchanged knockdowns and punches throughout the fight. Fury dropped Wilder in the third round, but Wilder came back and dropped Fury twice in the fourth round. Fury recovered and regained control of the fight, dropping Wilder again in the tenth round, and finally knocking him out in the eleventh round. The fight was widely regarded as the best fight of the year and one of the greatest heavyweight fights of all time.
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