Who thought we’d be here? Years ago, Deontay Wilder sat at the top of the heavyweight division while Tyson Fury remained inactive. During his absence, Wilder offered Fury a title fight if he was able to manage his addiction and overcome a bout with depression.
Fury took Wilder up on his offer and returned to the ring. After winning two fights, Fury stepped up to challenge Wilder for his title in December 2018. In a clash of titans, Wilder scored two knockdowns, but Fury outboxed him for the majority of the remaining rounds and earned a draw. More than one year later, things took a turn that many didn’t see coming.
Weeks before the nation was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilder and Fury reunited in Las Vegas. Through seven rounds, Fury didn’t just beat Deontay Wilder, he bullied him. Fury landed a number of power shots and drained the energy of the heavyweight titlist en route to a seventh-round stoppage.
In the aftermath of the fight, Wilder publicly attributed his loss to his pre-fight attire, trainer Marc Breland and several other bizarre theories. Offended by allegations that he had cheated, Fury moved on to other potential fights like a showdown with Anthony Joshua. However, Wilder and his team had other thoughts. A long arbitration battle resulted in Fury being roped back into a third fight. Months later, things took another bizarre turn.
Initially, the fight was scheduled for the summer, but Fury tested positive for COVID-19 and the fight was pushed back until October. As time went on, rumors began to mount regarding Fury’s commitment to training and his focus. Tonight, everyone got their answers.
In what was the best fight of the trilogy, Wilder and Fury each knocked each other down twice before Fury earned the decisive fifth knocked down and knockout of the fight. Both men gave it they’re all. Both men came to fight. All boxing fans won tonight.
HUGE RIGHT BY FURY PUTS WILDER DOWN ? #FuryWilder3
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— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) October 10, 2021
