By MARK KAWALYA
Tyson Fury had one of the most grueling tests of his unbeaten career over the weekend. The Gypsy king almost met his match when he was sent sprawling to the canvas twice under the power of Deontay Wilder’s hammer blows in the fourth round. Tyson however shook off the early damage and reciprocated by dropping Wilder three times executing an expert finish in round 11 to defend his WBC title at T-Mobile’s gigantic Arena in Las Vegas.
The duo co-authored one of the most entertaining heavyweight title fights in recent boxing history much to the excitement of the large crowd that thronged the arena. This was the third and final bout of their energy-packed trilogy that had fans waiting anxiously.
In rounds eight and nine, Fury hit Wilder with everything under the sun. Wilder absorbed the punishments and tried to regain his mojo.
Fury led on all three scorecards (95-91, 94-92, 95-92) at the time of the fight stoppage but he had to contend with an almost unstoppable resilience displayed by a Wilder who was baying for his blood.
35-year-old Wilder rebounded from his first knockdown in round 3 with smooth right hands and tempered aggression primarily made up of body shots. Fury however used his nearly 20kg weight advantage, coupled with his extra two inches in reach and height to gradually wear Wilder down by leaning and holding him against the ropes.
In the first round, Wilder came out boxing with a jab to the body strategy and had by far his overall best round. In the third round with a minute left in the round, Wilder handed Fury a right hook that sent his opponent to the ropes. It looked like Wilder was seconds away from putting Fury away, but Tyson landed a right hook followed by a short uppercut that culminated in Wilder’s first knockdown.
From the direction of the third round, it looked like Fury would bury Wilder once and for all to make the night short and sweet. Instead, Wilder showed why he should never be underestimated. He connected a right in quick succession with another that sent Fury biting the canvas. Fury found his feet but Wilder sensed he could put him under again and take repossession of his belt. He took the opportunity and dropped Fury again by employing another vicious right hand.
Fury regained his momentum in the sixth round. He pounded Wilder’s body with a right and leaned his full body weight onto Wilder to wear him down. The strategy proved ingenious as Wilder missed several shots and was laboring by the end of the seventh round.
In rounds eight and nine, Fury hit Wilder with everything under the sun. Wilder absorbed the punishments and tried to regain his mojo. In round ten. Fury connected a crisp right hook that sent Wilder bouncing on the mat for the second time. The knockout left Wilder with a bloody face despite this desperate attempt to get back onto the mountain of heavyweights.
Wilder landed a flush uppercut to which Fury cocked fist back and fired an uppercut of his own that snapped Wilders head back.
In round 11, Fury blasted Wilder with a right hand followed by another sending him to the ropes. Fury connected a left hook and a suave right that sent Wilder face first to the canvas putting him out of his misery and officially bringing the match and trilogy to a close.
