Tyson Fury Victorious In Vegas: The Gypsy King Breaks The Bronze Bomber

The Boxing Glove Big Fight Review:

By Peter Silkov
Writer For The Boxing Glove

Las Vegas has seen some remarkable fights in its time as the Mecca of boxing, but it's never seen anything quite like Tyson Fury, and Tyson Fury's seven-round demolition of the previously unbeaten Deontay Wilder. As a fight, Wilder vs Fury 2 was by turns tense, exciting, and at times brutal. But it was the human drama surrounding the contest, most specifically the human drama which is Tyson Fury's life, which made this contest into something exceptional.

When the two met for the first time 14 months ago, at Los Angeles, Staples Center, Fury had shocked many of the so-called 'experts' by out-boxing the 'Bronze Bomber' for the vast majority of the match, except for those two rounds in which he was knocked down. It was a stunning performance by a man who had fought just twice in three years, against mediocre opposition, following a mental breakdown that had seen him go from Champion of the world to the depths of despair. If anything, the impact of Fury's performance was heightened by the two knockdowns which he suffered, especially that knockdown in the 12th and final round which will go down in boxing history as one of the most dramatic ever seen. If ever a fighter displayed an almost inhuman ability to bounce back from the dark jaws of defeat, that fighter was Tyson Fury in that 12 round. It is one of those very few knockdowns that whenever you rewatch it you find yourself subconsciously doubting that he will beat the count this time.

In the end, the drawn verdict is almost an afterthought today. Everyone who watched that fight knows that Tyson should have won it.

Heading into the rematch Fury told us that not only would he be 50% better this time, but that instead of going for a points victory, he would knock Wilder out and bypass putting the fights final result in the hands of the Vegas judges. The boxer was going to become the aggressor, against the man whom many were hailing as the most dangerous puncher ever seen in the history of the heavyweight division. For some Fury's new gameplan was a brave gamble, while others declared it akin to boxing suicide. Why go head to head with a puncher of Wilder's venom. Still, others saw it as a ruse and expected Fury to turn up on fight night and box Wilder the same way which he fought him in their first bout.

However, those who have followed Fury throughout his career will know that he is not one to give empty promises when it comes to predicting his performances inside the ring. The most powerful examples of this have come in his most important contests. In 2015 before his often overlooked victory over Wladimir Klitschko, the Gypsy King told everyone in great detail (including Wladimir himself) how he would outbox a man who had never been outboxed before in his whole career. Then before he met Wilder in their first match 14 months ago Fury detailed how he would outbox 'The Bronze Bomber' despite having not faced a serious opponent in the ring for three years.

Yet again Fury did as he had predicted and to quote a cliché 'boxed Wilder's ears off' save for those two knockdowns. But the general consensus was that Fury would be taking the biggest gamble of his career if he chose to go toe to toe with the big-hitting Wilder. After all wouldn't this be just what the 'Bronze Bomber' would want? Fury coming at him rather than fighting in his usual herky-jerky counterpunching style?.

Tyson Fury was going to take the biggest gamble of his boxing career in the gambling capital of America, where victory against the odds can be life-changing. After that disputed draw, 14 months before Tyson wanted to take his destiny out of the hands of the judges. Fury was going to take on the biggest fight of his career with a new style and a new corner team. It was a gamble worthy of a gambling Mecca such as Las Vegas. And that's exactly what he did.

After being carried to the ring on a mock throne, dressed as a King, and to the strains of 'Crazy' by Patsy Kline, the 'Gypsy King' proceeded to do exactly what he had been saying he would do ever since signing for the rematch. He took charge of the fight from the beginning, forcing Wilder back with a tremendous jab that jolted The Bronze Bombers head back. Just as he said he would, Fury was coming forward aggressively rather than looking to counter and move as he usually does, but his pressure was intelligent as he was using feints and little nuances of upper body movement to still make himself an elusive target. Fury's ring generalship is such that he can stand right in front of an opponent yet still evade their punches with a simple step aside or a twitch of the head.

The effect of Fury's extra weight was evident as Wilder seemed to be shaken by the weight of every punch Fury was landing. Fury has always had underrated punching power (just ask Dereck Chisora) but when he is weighing around 270 pounds and is also putting his weight behind his shots, he becomes a very different animal to the boxer who just wants to move about the ring and counterpunch.

While it was a right-hand to the side of the head in the 3rd round that signaled the end of the match as a competitive debate, Deontay was softened up first by Fury's tremendous jabs in the 1st and 2nd rounds, as Wilder found himself under increasing pressure and unable to fire off his own punches. From the start of the fight, the 'Bronze Bomber's inability to fight on the back foot was becoming clear.

Fury increased his pace in the 3rd round. That pole-like jab struck with increasing regularity and was then accompanied by some right hands. Forced back to the ropes, Wilder was then sent down by a thunderous right hand that seemed to slam him into the canvas. He did well to regain his feet, but was soon down again, tumbling forwards after taking some more right hands. Although this fall was ruled a 'slip' by referee Kenny Bayliss, there's little doubt that it was a genuine knockdown and discounted or not the damage was done.

The Bronze Bomber returned groggily to his corner at the end of the 3rd still in the fight but his body had already been broken. Blood was flowing from the mouth and left ear, and Wilder couldn't suppress the look of pain and bewilderment covering his face.

In the rounds that followed Wilder resembled a short-circuiting robot as he staggered about, often grabbing hold of Fury to buy himself some time and occasionally trying to land with that notorious knockout punch. Yet the punches when they were thrown, were only hitting the Las Vegas air.

Fury constantly pressed and kept Wilder on the defensive, nullifying the power of the few punches that Wilder was able to fire off. Fury feinted and shifted cleverly on his feet. He seemed always to be in front of Wilder yet Wilder could not hit him. There was no respite for Wilder in the clinches either as the battered Bronze Bomber sought to hold on in an effort to retrieve his balance and shut down Furys attacks. Fury battered Wilder on the inside as well and leaned his weight onto Wilders.

The fighter who so often during his career has been known to 'bully' opponents with wrestling in clinches and shots behind the head, etc, was now being bullied himself.

Wilder fell down again in the 4th round after taking some glancing blows from Fury. Although it was not deemed a knockdown by referee Bayliss it was clear that keeping his feet was becoming an ordeal for Deontay.

The 5th round should have been the last. Wilder was floored by shots to the head and body. The fact that he regained his feet yet again says all you need to know about the 'Bronze Bomber's heart. For all his flaws Wilder showed on this night that he has the courage of a warrior.

Referee Bayliss perhaps saved Wilder from being stopped in this round when he broke the action to administer a disgraceful point deduction from Fury. The enforced pause gave Wilder some extra time to recover, yet by now it was only prolonging the inevitable. Both men were by now covered in blood and it was all spilling out from Wilder.

Ultimately Bayliss was doing Wilder no favors by prolonging the fight.

Between rounds, Deontay's corner seemed almost mesmerized by what was happening to their fighter, as they tried to staunch the blood running from his left ear yet seemed to have very little idea what to do or say in order to effect a change in the course of the fight.

Both Wilder's cornermen/trainers seemed to be talking to him at the same time, but the wounded and dazed fighter looked like he couldn't take anything in from either of his trainers let alone implement either of their instructions. Only assistant trainer Mark Breland seemed to have some kind of composure and idea as to what to do, but he also seemed hopelessly unable to get his message through to his fighter.

Wilder continued to take punishment in the sixth round, with his movements becoming more and more exaggerated as the beating he was taking took its toll. At times he looked as if he was moving in slow motion. Fury actually seemed to hold back when Wilder staggered in front of him, perhaps hoping that the referee would save him having to continue the now one-sided beating.

But if Fury was holding back a little out of sympathy in the 6th round he stepped up his attack in the 7th, as Wilder staggered stiff-legged into the corner with his arms up his face to try and defend himself, Fury unleashed a heavy attack, slamming his right hand again and again into Wilder's head. It looked to be just a matter of moments before Wilder would be falling to the canvas again, and this time for good.

Then it was all over.

Wilder's trainer Mark Breland finally saved his fighter by mercifully throwing in the towel. He has since been criticized by Wilder for stopping the fight when he did, even though he might have saved Deontay's career, not to mention his future health, by doing what he did.

The 'Bronze Bomber' was as beaten as ever a man could be, but in defeat, he had shown a heart of a warrior and a chin and proclivity to soak up punishment which far exceeded previous expectations of him. Often rumored to be delicate in the chin area, Deontay took far more punches than anyone with the cliché glass chin ever could hope to do.

The Gypsy King is once more the king of the heavyweight division. While Anthony Joshua holds the other belts, there can be no denying that his status is perhaps irreparably damaged after his devastating loss last year to Andy Ruiz. Although Joshua came back and beat Ruiz in their rematch, it was an uninspiring 'revenge' victory against a man who seemed unfit to fight and served only to paper over the damage to his reputation. There is little doubt that Tyson Fury is now viewed by most boxing followers and media as the 'main man'.

The recognition is long overdue.

It's difficult to find a comeback in boxing that compares to that of Tyson Fury. In the space of just two years, he has come back from a breakdown and having to lose over 10 stone to once more being officially the heavyweight champion of the world, a title which he never actually lost in the ring but had taken from him by the men in suits.

Even Las Vegas has never seen an act quite like Tyson Fury. An emotional Fury capped his triumph over the 'Bronze Bomber' by singing 'American Pie' to an audience who seemed to be genuinely overwhelmed by what they had just witnessed. Even Muhammad Ali never burst into song after his ring victories. It is perhaps not an exaggeration to say that no British fighter has ever captured the imagination and hearts of the American boxing fan quite like Tyson Fury.

Tyson was hailed by a full house at the MGM Grand, which included about 5000, fans from Britain, in scenes which haven't been seen for a heavyweight championship in America since the days of Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe. The heavyweight division is alive again in the USA and the man who has brought it back to life is British. It is a fact that some will not like, but Tyson Fury has achieved what Anthony Joshua was once expected to do.

The irony will not be lost upon American fight followers that the heavyweight division, so long the bastion of the American boxer, is now undisputedly ruled by British fighters. The days when the British heavyweights could be dismissed by a grinning American fight fan as the 'horizontal heavyweight' (something which was always rather exaggerated) are well and truly over.

Fury had proved the doubters wrong again, something which he has done throughout his career. The 'Bronze Bomber' who was being hailed by some as the hardest punching heavyweight in history was battered into bloody submission by a man he had labeled 'pillow fisted'.

The parallels between Fury and Muhammad Ali are clear in so many ways even though the two are also very different men in some ways. Tyson like Ali is a maverick who has won over the boxing world with a mixture of arrogance and humility and a unique sense of humor. Like Ali, he has also constantly beaten the oddsmakers and shown a penchant for always finding a way to win in the ring. Tyson, like Ali before him, also has unflinching confidence in his ability in the ring and a knack for getting into the heads of his opponents.

There will never be another Muhammad Ali and so to compare both as fighters when they have fought in such different eras is unfair to both men, but it is fair to say that Tyson Fury is the biggest personality to hold the heavyweight crown since the days of Mike Tyson, the man whom he was named after. Tyson Fury's comeback from mental illness, and substance abuse, and his willingness to talk about his ongoing problems has made him a transcendent figure in the sport. It isn't an exaggeration to say that his exploits in the ring have saved lives and inspired people to tackle their own mental health issues.

The fight which everyone will want to see now is Fury vs Joshua. Despite Anthony's reputation being somewhat damaged from his defeat to Ruiz, the prospect of him and Tyson finally squaring up in the ring is irresistible. Two British fighters, each with their own large fan base, clashing to decide the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world. Quite simply it should be the biggest boxing match this country has ever seen.

Fury might well have to face Wilder for a third time though if the American chooses to exercise his option for an immediate rematch.

How Wilder will recover from the first defeat of his professional career remains to be seen. Defeat has a habit of bringing out either the best or the worst from a fighter. Some rise to greater heights than they reached before while others sink. The signs from Wilder so far are not good.

While he was courageous in the ring, in the days since his defeat he has shown a distinct lack of class and moral courage by trying to explain his defeat with simply risible excuses. Wilders 'confession' that he was weakened even before the fight began by the weight of the bizarre uniform that he chose to wear on his ring walk will no doubt give him an unenviable place in boxing history.

Excuses from defeated fighters are nothing new in boxing, but the extremes of Wilder's claims leads one to believe that this is a man who has been broken mentally as well as physically. The fact that Wilder has seemingly fired assistant trainer Mark Breland, the man who saved him from taking career-ending, or even life-changing punishment, is another clue as to how far Wilders judgment has derailed from reality.

Just three days after Tyson's devastating victory over Deontay Wilder, it was the 56th anniversary of the night when one young Cassius Clay tamed 'The Ugly Bear' Sonny Liston to win the heavyweight championship of the world for the first time. Tyson Fury might not be Muhammad Ali, but his performance on Saturday night was worthy of being so close to the anniversary of 'The Greatest' first crowning. Like Ali before him, Tyson Fury told us what he was going to do and then went out and did it. Simple though that may sound it has made 'The Gypsy King' the biggest attraction in the sport today.

The 'Gypsy King' has regained the throne which was so unfairly taken from him, after a torrid tale of intrigue, greed, betrayal, drugs, alcohol, and mental illness. It is a drama Shakespeare himself would have been proud to have written.

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