By Tom Donelson / Author, Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) …. respected contributor to dmboxing.com since 2008
Before the third Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder fight, it was the consensus that Tyson Fury is the best heavyweight in the world. For a big man, he has light feet that can move with ease, and over the years, he has proven to be a difficult puncher to hit. When he upset Wladimir Klitschko, it was assumed that Klitschko’s inability to hit Fury was due to Klitschko’s age; but looking back on that fight, it was Fury’s boxing ability that helped him avoid getting hit. (Klitschko lost to Anthony Joshua but he also hurt and knocked Joshua down, so he found Joshua easier to hit.)
In his first two fights with Wilder, Fury was the superior technician. In their first fight, two Wilder knockdowns produced the draw as Fury won at least seven rounds on many scorecards. In their second bout, Fury was more aggressive, utilizing his boxing skills while looking for openings to knock out Wilder.
Wilder is a good athlete who became a boxer, but as a fighter he has depended primarily upon his knockout punches. However, when he moved up in competition, he didn’t improve his boxing skills. When he fought Cuban heavyweight Luis Ortiz, Ortiz outboxed Wilder only to lose by knockout to him. In his first fight with Fury, Wilder had difficulty connecting with any offense but managed to nearly end the fight twice with knockout punches. Fury found a way to get up and escaped with a draw.
Coming into this fight, the question was whether Wilder could adjust and make changes to fight Fury. Wilder’s knockout punches were his equalizer but in their second fight, he could not even connect on any big punches while he was getting smashed around the ring by Fury. With Oleksandr Usyk’s upset of Anthony Joshua, the heavyweight division came down to the Wilder-Fury fight. A Wilder upset would shake up the heavyweight division with multiple possibilities. Fury’s victory reinforces his status as the man in the division and set up a Fury-Usyk bout for all of Usyk’s belts.
Wilder opened the fight with two jabs to the body and tried a few lunging over-hands as Fury moved away on his back foot. Wilder took the first round and Fury took the second round as he countered to even the fight on my scorecard.
Fury dominated he third round as he sent Wilder down. As Wilder got himself up after a combination from Fury, he got nailed with another combination and was saved by the bell.
In the fourth round, Fury started fast as Wilder looked unsteady. Fury looked confident that the end was near as he landed punches while avoiding Wilder’s wild shots. A Fury right hand punished Wilder but suddenly a Wilder right hand sent Fury down. And as Fury got up, he was nailed with another right.
In the fifth round, Fury and Wilder were both exhausted but Fury won the round and over the next three, he wore Wilder down with combinations, boxing skills and used his physical advantage to wear Wilder out. Wilder looked more worn out as Fury used his weight and boxing skills to push Wilder around the ring. Fury took the fifth through the eighth rounds because of his better boxing skills and Wilder’s exhaustion.
Wilder looked gassed but showed heart in the ninth as he continued plodding; but in this round, Wilder managed to land a few shots including a nice upper-cut at the end and might have taken the round. In the tenth, Wilder went down a second time and once again it looked like Fury was going to finish it; but at the end of the round Wilder wobbled Fury with a left-right combination. With two rounds left, I have it 96-90 Fury with Wilder needing a knockout but, alas, it would be Fury who ends the fight with a knockout in the eleventh round.
This was a great bout with both fighters hitting the canvas, but Fury was the better fighter and landed the more effective punches. Compubox had Fury connecting on nearly double the punches but both men showed courage and this fight will enhance both men.
Wilder showed heart and did not quit, nor did Fury. It was a case of Fury finally overcoming a game fighter, but Fury is the best heavyweight in the world. Losing to the best heavyweight is no shame for Wilder. This fight ended the trilogy and showed who was the better fighter… Fury.
Wilder was definitely a live dog with his big power. Fury boxes much better, but he is susceptible to huge punchers, even if they can’t box well. Max Kellerman stated that maybe only L Lewis would be favored over Fury given his size and boxing avumen. Fury is good, but I think that assessment is way off base.