Welcome to fight week ! The long awaited rematch is only five days away between WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay ‘Bronze Bomber’ Wilder and Tyson ‘Gypsy King’ Fury, in Las Vegas. Both undefeated, both with a claim to the heavyweight championship, the latter being the ‘Lineal’ champion (i.e. the Man who beat the Man who beat the Man) dating back over 100 years to John L Sullivan.
It’s a fight that BT Box Office and others are claiming is the biggest heavyweight fight in twenty years. This takes us back to Lennox Lewis second fight against Evander Holyfield in November 1999 when the heavyweight championship was finally unified and we could call one man the champion. Saturday’s fight will not achieve that, with Brit Anthony Joshua holding three of the straps, but it certainly will move the division onto hopefully a climax and division settling fight. Should we have an outright victor, which we failed to get in December 2018, then they’ll be a public clamour for an immediate Joshua fight.
But what can we expect on Saturday ? The smart money is on two possible outcomes; a Wilder victory by KO or a Fury points win. The American champ Wilder, continues to talk up his devastating power (41 KO’s) and that Fury won’t escape this time (Fury surviving two knockdowns in the first fight, including ‘the resurrection’ early in the 12th round). Wilder’s KO record and recent destruction of Cuban Luis Ortiz certainly points towards that.
The Brit Fury meanwhile has regularly stated his dominance and clear victory in the first fight, but on account of not getting a decision in Las Vegas, knows he has to KO the American this time round. His switch to the world famous Kronk Gym in Detroit has backed up his claim for a more aggressive approach.
It’s going to be a fascinating week and look for the hype to continue and build to a crescendo with the final press conferences and weigh in at the back end of the week. Also, see if The Undisputed can be swayed from it’s current prediction of a Fury late stoppage victory over the next five days.
Enjoy the week and watch this space.
The Undisputed 