Tyson Fury Vs. Dillian Whyte Preview: Can the Body Snatcher Ruin the Homecoming of The Gypsy King?

By Peter Silkov

Writer for The Boxing Glove 

When Tyson Fury defends his WBC world heavyweight championship against Dillian Whyte, on April 23rd, at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium, it will be the biggest heavyweight fight in Britain since the classic match between Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno almost 29 years ago. (Ironically, that clash was also for the WBC world heavyweight championship). Having two British fighters facing each other for boxing's biggest prize is an occasion that many British fight fans could only dream about in the not-too-distant past. Indeed, it is a rarity that has only occurred between Bruno and Lewis in modern boxing history. Despite the fact that Britain has found itself, over the past half-decade, in the almost surreal position of being home to the vast majority of the world's top heavyweights. This unlikely domination has seen a portion of the fractured world heavyweight crown being held by either Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua since 2015. For a brief time, both Fury and Joshua held all the major world championship belts between them at the same time, and a showdown between the two for the right to be the undisputed champion of the world seemed tantalizingly close. Undoubtedly, if the boxing world wasn't so riven with a mixture of political, financial, and egotistical maneuverings, Britain’s boxing fans would already have seen a colossal match for the undisputed heavyweight crown between two British fighters long before the upcoming April 23rd clash between Fury and Whyte. Arguments inevitably rage on both sides as to who is most at fault for Fury Vs. Joshua not materializing, (hereafter all was a fight which could have been the biggest sports event ever in Britain). Ultimately Joshua's defeat to Alexandra Usyk last year scuppered any plans for a showdown with Fury in the foreseeable future. There seems to be more than a likelihood that the long-anticipated clash will never take place, especially with Fury’s recent statements that the match with Whyte will be his last professional boxing fight.

So we are left with Fury vs. Whyte rather than Fury vs. Joshua, not what was expected or hoped for by many, but a fight that isn’t without the interesting intangibility that may well serve to make it an exciting match.

The fight has already seen a somewhat curious build-up due to Dillian Whyte's bizarre behaviour. Whyte has seemingly taken grave offense at only being given a 20% cut of the fight purse, despite that 20% adding up to be the largest purse of his career (6mil) by a significant way.

In a prolonged hissy fit, more worthy of a Hollywood diva than a professional boxer, Whyte left it until almost the final hour before signing the fight contracts, yet even since signing the contracts, he has continued to complain and seemingly do as much as he could to disrupt the fight. Whyte has continued to rage at almost everything to do with the fight's promotion and has taken the extraordinary step of refusing to take part in the promotional press conferences, which are always part of the run-up to such big fights.

It is an extraordinary situation to have the challenger for the world heavyweight championship refusing to participate in the pre-fight conferences, even to the extent of asking for his image to be removed from the fight's posters!

Is Dillian's behavior simply a rather long and self-indulgent temper tantrum, or is there some kind of method or theory behind his rather childish 'madness'?

Whyte's long time promoter Eddie Hearn has claimed that the 'The Bodysnatcher's behavior, while born out of genuine displeasure at his share of the spoils of the fight, is also at least partly aimed at getting under the champion Tyson Fury's skin and upsetting his mental balance in the run-up to the fight.

However, this seems to be a good exercise of whistling in the wind by Eddie (who seems unable to stop talking about a fight which he claims he is relieved not to be promoting). Indeed, if you can believe that Eddie Hearn is happy not to be playing any part in the biggest heavyweight fight in a British ring this century, then you probably also believe in the tooth fairy and the world is flat.

The truth is that Tyson Fury, after overcoming his widely-known mental health issues in the past, seems to have built up immunity to the various mind games and outside-the-ring intrigues of his fistic opponents. After withstanding the outrageous (and at times libelous) boasts, claims, and insults of Deontay Wilder throughout their now-classic trilogy, it is difficult to envisage Fury being mentally wrong-footed by Dillian Whyte's childish and unprofessional antics. All the indications so far are that Fury is more amused than disturbed by Whyte's own little personal drama show.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, with Dillian becoming 'the invisible challenger' due to his absence from the pre-fight pressers, the promotion of Fury vs. Whyte has become the Tyson Fury show, something which, in all honesty, it was always destined to be.

However, this has done little to dampen the eagerness of the fans to fill Wembley stadium to its full capacity, to witness the 'Gypsy King's homecoming live (the fight will now be watched by a crowd of 94,000, after selling its original allocation of 85,000 tickets in just 3 hours!)

The truth is that Whyte may well have shot himself in the foot with his constant protests and boycott of the press conferences. Despite his high standing in the WBC rankings and popularity on Eddie Hearn's shows, Dillian’s image and status in the wider boxing world remain several levels below Fury's. Whyte remains relatively unknown outside of the UK, while Tyson Fury is now a huge boxing star worldwide.

This fight was Whyte's chance to boost his standing considerably, win or lose, and by deciding not to take part in the fight's promotional machine, Whyte runs the risk of making himself just an afterthought in the fight unless he was to pull off a huge upset and defeat Fury. One does have to wonder about Whyte's state of mind and how confident he is in reality about being able to win the world title. Has Whyte's focus been too much on protesting the terms of his contract rather than concentrating on getting ready to beat Fury inside the ring? Whyte did previously turn down a rematch with Anthony Joshua for the world title at stake back in 2019 due to the purse of 3 million not being enough, with the chance instead falling into the generous lap of Andy Ruiz, and we all know what happened next! Whyte may have lost the best chance he will ever get of being world heavyweight champion on that night.

Of course, if Whyte was to upset Fury, his eccentric antics in the build-up to the match would be hailed as a masterstroke. But does Whyte have any chance of pulling off the upset?

Judging by the formbook, the answer seems to be a resounding, no.
Fury is a faster, stronger, and far more adaptable boxer than Dillian. After being known primarily for his elusive boxing skills earlier in his career, Tyson has shown in recent years that he can also stand his ground and go toe-to-toe with opponents and has dispelled doubts about his ability to punch his weight. In his trilogy with Deontay Wilder, the Gypsy King displayed his versatility by first out-boxing, then out-slugging 'The Bronze Bomber.'

Dillian Whyte, on the other hand, is a bit of a plodder. He is a flat-footed fighter who relies more on his brute strength than his boxing skills to win fights. One comparison which can be drawn between Whyte and Fury is their respective matches against Derek Chisora. Both have fought Chisora twice, but while Fury emerged victorious twice with relative ease, Dillian had to wade through two toe-to-toe slugfests before grabbing a debatable point's decision in their first match, followed by a last gasp knockout win in their rematch. Styles make fights, of course, but Whyte and Fury's respective encounters against Chisora can also be seen as a clue to the difference in levels between Tyson and Dillian. The Gypsy King seems clear to be a level above Whyte.

In truth, Whyte is lucky even to be having this shot at the world title after being knocked out in 5 rounds by the somewhat ancient Alexander Povetkin in his last but one outing. Although Dillian gained revenge in a rematch some five months later, this victory was somewhat tarnished by the aging Povetkin entering the fight after only recently recovering from Covid. Indeed, Whyte has only fought four times since 2019 and has not been overly impressive in his most recent outings. Before his shock knockout defeat to Alexander Povetkin on August 22nd, 2020, Whyte had been unimpressive in a 10-round point win over Mariusz Wach, eight-month earlier.

Photo: Dailymail Uk

Although Whyte avenged his sudden, one-punch knockout by Povetkin in their rematch seven months later, the Povetkin he faced in their second fight was a visibly much more faded version of Povetkin, with the muted ‘action’ ending in the 4th round after Povetkin was stopped following a knockdown. Although Whyte gained the victory, it was a difficult fight with which to gauge Whyte's form and judge whether the knockout to Povetkin had left any lasting mark. Indeed, Povetkin had looked as if a strong gust of wind would have knocked him down in this match.

Whyte has not fought since, meaning that when he enters the ring against Fury on April 23rd, (hopefully) it will be his first match in over a year. Certainly not ideal preparation for the biggest fight of your life.

Photo:The Mirror

Yet, as always, in heavyweight boxing, one punch can change everything, and Dillian certainly has the power to spring an upset if Tyson goes into this fight with the wrong attitude. Whyte's best chance of victory is if Fury has entered this match in the wrong frame of mind and is either unmotivated or taking Whyte for granted. This is possible when you have a fighter who is openly talking about retiring as Fury has been in recent weeks. Tyson has talked about retiring numerous times during his career and at one point walked away from the sport when his mental health and addiction problems overwhelmed him. Yet this regular talk of retirement seems to be a method Fury uses to psyche himself up and get himself more motivated for his matches, approaching each one with the attitude that it is his last. This seems to be borne out by the fact that for all his talk of retirement outside the ring, Tyson genuinely enjoys fighting. This was illustrated by Fury at one point exclaiming "I love this" during his match with Otto Wallin when he battled to victory despite a horrendously cut right eye. It was also on display during his three matches with Deontay Wilder when Fury seemed to relish the moments when Wilder had him hurt and coming back from the knockdowns which he suffered in the first and third fights. Indeed, heading into this defense against Whyte, it seems that Tyson is the fighter with the better form. Tyson will be having his second fight in 5 months, and the 3rd fight with Wilder will have taken off the rust that he collected during his most recent run of inactivity.

If the faded Povetkin at 41 can knock out Whyte, then the chances are that the Tyson Fury, who in recent years has begun to punch his weight, can stop Whyte as well.

Whyte has also shown a tendency to tire in the later rounds of fights, while Fury, despite his size, always seems to have good stamina going into later rounds of fights.

This is an intriguing fight and promises to be exciting whatever the outcome. Tyson Fury certainly doesn’t do dull, as he seems to have picked up the habit of providing fans with something dramatic in every fight recently.

Fury may box more in this match than he did in the second and third Wilder fights. Indeed Fury's reflexes and defense showed the rust of over two years of inactivity and preparation, which had been interrupted by a battle with covid and his newborn daughter's illness.

When he faces Whyte, 'The Gypsy King' is likely to be sharper and faster than he was in the final fight with Wilder, and he may well choose to give Whyte a boxing lesson in the early rounds before taking the fight to Wilder more in the later rounds.

Look for Tyson to win this match in an impressive fashion, in around 7 to 9 rounds. This is The Gypsy King's homecoming (and possibly even his final fight), in front of a record-breaking crowd, and he will be determined to win with an emphatic victory.

However, you can never dismiss a heavyweight with a decent punch, and Whyte is likely to have his moments in this fight, especially if Fury chooses to take the fight to Dillian early on. Fury will need to be sharp to stay away from Whyte's left hook and dangerous right hand, but if Tyson decides to box early he will most likely give Whyte a boxing lesson. Eventually, Fury's extra speed and strength will see him take over and wear down Whyte, and then we will see him start to pile on the pressure until the end comes with Whyte either counted out or stopped exhausted on his feet after about 7 to 9 rounds.

Whyte is likely about to find out that it will take more than some off-the-wall protests and a promotional strike to push Tyson Fury off his game plan. Fury has shown through his trilogy with Deontay Wilder that he has emerged from his much-publicized mental health issues and inactivity from the ring with a newfound mental strength, which will be more than enough to handle the kind of childish mind games that Dillian Whyte and his team seem to be employing. Indeed, just weeks away from fight night, Dillian's lawyer seems to be indicating that there is still a doubt over whether Whyte will take part in the fight. One wonders whether Whyte wants to fight for the world heavyweight championship at all; if he does, he has a very strange way of showing it at the moment.

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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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WILDER VS FURY 2: FINAL PREDICTION

The Boxing Glove Prediction
By Peter Silkov
Writer For The Boxing Glove

With a little over 10 hours to go until fight time what are your predictions for Wilder vs Fury 2?. I must say that I am not happy with either the judges or the referee and quite frankly can't see Fury winning a decision. Not that he won't deserve it, but he just won't get it!. He also is unlikely to receive any favors from the referee if he happens to get cut or floored. Unfortunately, I can see Bayliss jumping on any chance to stop the fight in Wilder's favor. I'd hate to sound cynical and I'd rather be wrong, but I've seen too many big fights in Vegas over the years to be green enough to still believe that Fury will get a fair shake. Having said all that I do think Fury is smart enough to know all this himself and that is one of the reasons why he is going for the knockout. Can Fury knockout Wilder?, I believe he can. If he can hurt Wilder early, take control of the fight, and then wear Wilder down we could see a late stoppage from Fury. Remember how Wilder got gassed when he tried to stop Fury last time. Like many punchers, Wilders stamina is suspect which is why he fights only in spurts. Dangerous spurts yes, but this is a fight that Fury can win through higher work rate and pressure. Fury needs to pile on the pressure while staying clever himself and not taking any silly shots. Then Wilder will break like a rusty drain pipe.

And don't worry about Fury's weight! he's 273 solid pounds, not 273 flabby out of shape pounds. As his new trainer Sugar Hill keeps on having to point out to people, Fury is 6' feet 9", not 6' feet 1" or 2" or 3" or 4", etc. Fury has also weighed around this weight before and has fought very well. He can still move around at this weight, but he will have more strength and power and also more resistance to Wilder's shots.

Barring a cut or something controversial I'm going for a Fury win tonight in about 8 to 10 rounds.

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DEONTAY WILDER VS TYSON FURY 2. TYSONS BIG GAMBLE IN VEGAS

The Big Fight Preview

By Peter Sikov

Writer For The Boxing Glove

On Saturday night Tyson Fury will face Deontay Wilder for the second time, in a fight that has many struggling to pick a winner. At first glance Fury should be a clear favorite to win this time round, after being blatantly robbed in the first match. Yet boxing is seldom that straight forward.

In their first meeting 14 months ago Fury entered the ring with Wilder after three years of turmoil that had seen him wrestle with mental illness and substance abuse which resulted in him ballooning to over 400 pounds. The very fact that Fury was climbing into the ring that night with Wilder, having lost over 10 stone, and after just two warm-up fights behind him in three years, was no small achievement by itself. However few expected Tyson to last more than a few rounds against the 'Bronze Bomber'. Even Fury's own team feared the worst. Fury's improbable comeback was expected by the games wise heads to come to a crashing end, leaving him to take his money and then retreat back into boxing oblivion. Tyson though had his own ideas. 'The Gypsy King' has often stated that if he believes he can do something strong enough in his mind, then there is nothing that can stop him. It is a curious part of Tyson's character that despite his well-publicized struggles with mental illness when it comes to boxing one of his strongest assets is his mental strength. Like so many other fighters Fury struggles far more with the world outside of the boxing ring than the world within it.

In his first meeting with Deontay Wilder, Fury belied the fact that he had not engaged in a real competitive match for over 3 years, and all the problems he had struggled against in those three years seemed a world away as he gave Deontay Wilder a clinical boxing lesson. Indeed the fight would have been a virtual shut-out save for two instances in two separate rounds. The knock-downs. The first knockdown came in the 9th round after he caught a shot to the top of the head, and seemed to be little more than a blip for Tyson. However, the second knock-down was something altogether different. Caught flush by a right hand, and then a looping left, Tyson fell to the canvas like he was out to the world. To use the cliché 'pole-axed' would not be an exaggeration. Very seldom do fighters get up from a knock-down like that, and even fewer rise from such knock-downs in anything like a fit state to carry on fighting.

Fury though has already shown that he is a unique boxer, and upon this night he showed it in a way that will forever be embedded in his boxing legacy long after he finally retires. In many ways that 12th round knock-down became a symbolic microcosm of what Fury had gone through in the previous three years since his criminally unappreciated defeat of long time world champion Wladimir Klitschko. Fury rose with an almost disdainful nonchalance that even seemed to take the referee by surprise. And if the referee was surprised then the reaction of Deontay Wilder, who for about six or seven seconds had been celebrating his stunning come from behind victory with the kind of posing befitting such a triumph, was a classic picture in itself.

Wilders surprise was multiplied as Fury not only survived his follow up assault, but decided to go onto the attack himself, rather than stay on the defensive. Fury even managed to shake Deontay in the last minute of the round. In the dying seconds of the match, it was Wilder not Fury who was holding on and happy to hear the final bell.

When the scorecards were read out, Fury's disgust at the drawn result was as clear to see as Wilders relief that he had managed to hang onto his WBC world title belt. The crowd's disapproval of the decision was also loud and clear, despite Wilder being the 'home' fighter.

In the proceeding 14 months, speculation and interest has mounted about the inevitable rematch between these two men, with the general consensus amongst the unbiased being that the winner of Wilder vs Fury 2 will have the right to declare himself the number 1 heavyweight in the world. Each man fought twice in 2019, with Wilder's performances being more impressive. The 'Bronze Bomber' dispatched Dominic Breazeale in 2 rounds and Luis Ortiz in the 7th, each via an impressive knock-out. While it is frankly ludicrous to hail Wilder as the biggest puncher in heavyweight history, (he isn't for several reasons) there is no doubt that he carries a dangerous punch. The problem for Wilder is that he is fairly average in all other areas of his game, save for that monstrous punch. Yet still, Deontay impressed especially with his stoppage of Ortiz in his last outing, even if the knock-out overshadowed the reality that he had been handed a pretty decisive boxing lesson by the 40+-year-old Cuban, right up to landing the fight-ending knock-out blow.

Tyson Fury's outings in 2019 were a little more patchy. While he impressed in his first outing by quickly dispatching Tom Schwarz in 2 rounds, his September match against Otto Wallin turned into perhaps the toughest fight of his career. 'The Gypsy King' was far from being on top form. He was flat-footed and sluggish from the start and collected two horrendous cuts over the right eye early on which threatened to stop the fight. Tyson ended up having to slug and maul his way to a clear but very bloody points victory, with his performance leaving behind it a lot of questions. Fury showed the same kind of bravery and fighting instinct in overcoming being cut so badly against Wallin as he did when rising from those knock-downs against Wilder. But at the same time, his performance was worryingly below par.

Tyson now goes into Saturdays match with a new training team, having parted ways with Ben Davison and reunited with Sugar Hill Steward, the nephew of the late legendary Kronk trainer Emanuel Steward. Tyson worked with Sugar Hill previously when he spent some time being trained by Emanuel Steward at the Kronk gym in 2010. It was Emanuel who predicted that Tyson Fury would be the next fighter to dominate the heavyweight division. He also gave similar praise to Deontay Wilder. Fury has also taken on the training services of former world middleweight champion Andy Lee (who also happens to be his cousin). It is a change that is meant to work on Fury's weaknesses, some of which were exposed against Wallin, but others which were evident against Wilder.

Was Tyson's performance against Wallin due to him not being switched on mentally for an opponent who he was expected to beat easily. Throughout his career Fury has produced his best performances when he has been up against his most demanding opposition, with his two victories over Dereck Chisora, his world title victory over Wladimir Klitschko, and his first fight with Wilder being the prime examples. Yet there is also the possibility that Fury, after almost two years of non-stop training, is becoming physically burned out. We won't know for sure until Saturday night whether the Wallin performance was just a blip or else an early indication of an athletic decline.

A crucial part of this question is how successful Tyson's switching trainers will turn out to be. Changing such a fundamental facet of your fighting make-up just seven weeks before a big fight may seem foolish to some, but it may also be just the kind of tweak that Tyson needed to refresh and revitalize himself after the disappointing Wallin performance.

Fury has said that he has been working on improving his balance, sharpening his jab, and putting more weight into his punches. He has been stating regularly how this time around he will be going for a knock-out win rather than a points victory (which he unsurprisingly doesn't believe he can get in Las Vegas). At first, this might seem to be a kamikaze approach to the rematch by the 'Gypsy King' but then you remember the handful of times that Fury shook Wilder in their first match, especially in that final round directly after Wilder had floored him. Fury shook Wilder several times throughout the fight but each time failed to follow up, partly due to instructions from his corner and partly due to his own doubts about his stamina in what was his first real fight in three years.

This time round according to Tyson it's going to be different. He will be far fitter than he was for the first match and he has shed the remaining rust from his inactivity with his fights against Schwarz and Wallin. Indeed the Otto Wallin fight could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise as it meant that Fury got to go 12 tough rounds, which could prove to be very good for him this coming Saturday night. Not only will it have helped him shed any remaining rust, but it will also have helped boost his confidence in his stamina.

Looking at both men, the biggest contrast between them is that we know what Wilder will do, he is a puncher and he will try and knock Fury out. Wilder is a one-dimensional fighter, and he will fight one way only, with the only tweak to his style recently being to employ more patience. Against Ortiz, he waited and waited, and threw few punches, until the final shots that put Ortiz down and out.

Tyson, however, is far more unpredictable. Especially now that he and his trainers are saying they will be going for a knockout win. Is it hype or mind games? Or will Tyson really be looking to end things early? You would think that Wilder's greatest wish is for Tyson to come forward in the rematch and take the fight to him. Yet, on the other hand, Wilder has never looked comfortable fighting on the back foot, which is why he seldom does it if he can help it. If Tyson could manage to pressure and force Wilder back then he would negate much of Wilders punching power. Wilder also needs to be at a certain distance to be able to throw and land his long looping and often wild shots. If Tyson succeeds in pushing Wilder back and can pressure and crowd him, then he will be negating much that makes Wilder such a dangerous puncher. Wilder also cannot fight on the inside, while Fury, surprisingly, despite his height and reach, is a very good inside fighter.

Tyson fury's punching power has often been underrated. He punched hard enough to score a brutal stoppage over Dereck Chisora in their second meeting. He also punched hard enough to gain the respect of Wladimir Klitschko. There was a reason why Wlad was so wary of exchanging with Tyson, and it wasn't due to Tyson not having a punch. Tyson's knock-out ratio is very respectable when you take into account his elusive style of fighting, (20 stoppages out of 29 victories) and the fact that he often doesn't set himself to throw his punches with their full weight. Throughout his career Tyson has often seemed happy to simply out-box his opponents rather than going for the knock-out.

While there is always the danger that a more aggressive Tyson might get caught by another one of those Wilder bombs, there is also the chance that Fury can get caught if he tries to out-box Wilder for 12 rounds again. The longer the fight goes the more chance Wilder has to land that one punch which could change everything. Then there is the question about whether Fury can rely on receiving a fair decision in Las Vegas. Recent history tells us that if the fight is even slightly competitive or close, then the judges will favor the 'home' fighter over Fury. After all, this is the world's heavyweight championship, and certain people are desperate for an American fighter to at least keep hold one of the world title belts.

When you are looking at the fight like this then Fury going for a knock-out does not seem like such a crazy strategy.

There is also the question of Fury's legs. Since his comeback, he has never shown quite the same nimbleness which he had earlier in his career and especially against Klitschko. That speed and sharpness in the legs is something which Fury is unlikely ever to totally regain. With that in mind, it makes sense for him to tweak his style and become more aggressive. Fury is said to be planning to weigh in at around 270- 275 pounds, this is a weight at which he has fought previously. Tyson's record shows that when he fought at or around that weight in previous fights he stopped 7 of his nine opponents, including Dereck Chisora whose only other inside the distance defeat came at the hands of Dillian Whyte in 2018.

There remains the possibility that Fury may come out and try to out-box Wilder just as he did in their first bout, but Fury and his new trainers seem adamant about their strategy. They are either taking a very bold gamble or else playing mind games with Wilder.

Fury has certainly looked a little sturdier in recent weeks, and more powerful in the arms and legs.

In the town where you often have to take a gamble to have a chance of winning, Tyson Fury is getting ready to make perhaps the biggest gamble of his career on Saturday night. With the cards regarding a points decision probably stacked against him, does he put all his faith into his own hands and go for a knock-out, so that he can be his own judge and referee.

As we enter the final days before the fight Tyson is the slight underdog with the oddsmakers. It is no doubt a position he will relish. Fury is always at his best when he is the underdog, which was probably part of his problem against Otto Wallin. The chances are that Fury was just not fired up for a fighter he was expected to beat with ease.

The biggest worries for Tyson as we approach fight night must be the match going the distance, (after all who trusts Las Vegas judges, unless you are the home fighter?) his right eye reopening or running into one of Deontay Wilder's right hands.

Tyson's right eye, which was so badly cut against Wallin, looks to have healed up exceptionally well, but there is always the danger of a cut like that being reopened, especially against such an aggressive and often crude fighter as Deontay Wilder. The fact that Fury will have two cutmen in his corner on the night is proof that cuts are a worry.

Will Wilder seek to box more in this fight and use his often neglected jab, especially if Tyson is fighting a more aggressive fight. Wilder has shown more patience in his recent fights but it is unlikely that he will simply be waiting for that one punch to end the night against a fighter of Tyson's ability. Wilder is likely to be as aggressive as usual, perhaps even more so, as he seeks to land that big power punch or perhaps a punch that will reopen Tyson's eye.

This is a rematch that may well surpass the first fight for excitement and action as both men will be even more desperate and determined to take victory this time in a matchup which has taken on far more impact and significance than their first encounter.

The winner of Saturday night will be seen by most of the boxing world as truly the number one heavyweight in the world. He will also be in the driving seat for the long-awaited showdown with Anthony Joshua.

My feeling regarding the result is that Tyson Fury will once again defy logic and shock the so-called experts, but this time around he will be granted his rightful victory, as Wilder is counted out for the first defeat of his professional career. Its a gamble, but this may well be one of those nights where that old cliché 'He who dares, wins!' comes true. Especially in a town like Vegas.

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Big Fight Report: Deontay Wilder vs. Chris Arreola: The Bronze Bomber Picks Apart the Nightmare

 

photo: www.commdiginews.com

 

By Peter Silkov

Photo; boxingjunkie.usatoday.com

Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36koes) retained his WBC world heavyweight championship against Chris Arreola (36-5-1, 31koes) last night, July 16th. It was a clinical and at times brutal display, which showed that Wilder is maturing and improving as a boxer.

Fighting at the aptly named Legacy Arena, in Birmingham, Alabama, in front of his home fans, Wilder never let Arreola get into the fight. Wilder weighed 226 and a quarter pounds, to Arreola’s 246 and a quarter pounds. From the start, ’The Bronze Bomber’ used his snakelike jab to slowly pick his challenger apart, and constantly frustrate ’The Nightmare’s’ attempts to get on the inside, and turn the fight into a brawl.

Arreola started slowly, visibly conscious of running into the champion’s big bombs, but as the rounds went by, it became clear that either on the inside or the outside, ’The Nightmare’ had no answer to the champion’s speed and power.  The few time that Arreola did manage to get off any punches, they seemed to lack any sharpness, and bounced off Wilder harmlessly.  Wilder’s punches however, seemed to sting and shake Arreola every time he landed.

photo: www.mirror.co.uk

Arreola was floored heavily in the 4th round by a cluster of shots, and did well to last the round, as Wilder seemed to be going for the finish. At the end of the round, Arreola staggered back to his corner, and the fight could easily have been stopped at this point.  However no one has ever questioned Arreola’s heart, and he bravely carried on, although now Wilder was using him for target practice with the left hand.  After the fight it would be revealed that Wilder had broken his right hand in the 4th round, and torn his right bicep during his 4th round assault upon Arreola.  From the 5th to the 8th round Wilder relied almost exclusively on his left hand, pounding it repeatedly into the brave Arreola’s increasingly battered face. By the end of the 8th round Arreola was becoming a gruesome sight, with his face bloody and swollen, and his left eye almost closed. Even Wilder himself seemed hesitant to inflict much more damage upon his challenger, and it was a relief to all when Arreola’s corner pulled him out of the fight after the conclusion of the 8th round.

It was a impressive and dominating display from Wilder.  While there are those who questioned Arreola’s credentials for gaining a world title shot at this point in his career, his experience and toughness over the years is unquestioned.  This was one of those fights where Wilder was expected to win, and needed to win well to impress and over all he did just that.  While the fight went longer than most people had predicted, Arreola has never been the kind of fighter who is blown out early.  Wilder took his time in this fight and would most likely have ended things earlier if he hadn’t injured his right hand and arm in the 4th round.

photo: http://cdn.newsapi.com.au

The Bronze Bomber won every round against a challenger who was outclassed, but showed his usual heart and toughness, before he was stopped.  Unfortunately Arreola looks like a fighter who at 35 years of age, and many blood and guts ring wars, has reached the end of the road as far as being a viable world title contender is concerned.  That said, with his recognizable name and big-hearted brawling style, it is unlikely we have seen the end of ’The Nightmare,’ even though he should probably walk away right now. 

What was most impressive about this performance was the technical improvements by Wilder.  He has an unorthodox style and does a lot of things ’wrong’, but at the same time, he has showed that he is learning how to use his height and reach to its full potential. Many of his previous crudeness has disappeared, and has been replaced by a much smoother more educated boxer, whose mixture of size, speed and power, will make him a tough match for any of the other top heavyweights. At this point Wilder does seem to be the 2nd best Heavyweight in the world behind Tyson Fury, and a unification fight between those two next year, is something that the Heavyweight division really needs.

photo: http://www.boxingnews24.com

Fight of the night was the bruising battle between two welterweight southpaws, Sammy Vasquez (21-1, 15koes) and Felix Diaz (18-1, 8koes). This match was a good mix of styles, with the bull like aggression of Diaz, pitted against the more refined style of Vasquez.  The fight ebbed and flowed though out the 10 rounds, with frequent meaty exchanges.  Despite coming in as the favourite, Vasquez showed some serious defensive flaws as the match progressed, and Diaz slowly emerged as the stronger and more ring wise fighter of the two. Vasquez showed a lot of heart to keep coming back every time Diaz looked to be on the point of overpowering him, and he also had to deal with a nasty looking cut mouth.  Diaz looked to be unlucky not to have come away with a win after 10 rounds, with the scores of 96-94 (Diaz), and two 95-95s rendering the bout a draw.  However bearing in mind that Vasquez had two points, rather harshly deducted, due to his mouth piece coming out of his mouth twice, because of severely his cut lip, a draw was perhaps the fairest result after what had been a close fight.  Cue perhaps a rematch, which would be no bad thing, at least for the fans.

One fighter who definitely needs to walk away from the ring is Vic Darchinyan (42-9-1, 31koes.)  The former flyweight, and super-flyweight world champion is now 40 years old, which is ancient for a little guy, and has been knocked out in 3 of his last 6 fights.  Now fighting at super-bantamweight Darchinyan faced Sergio ‘Finito’ Frias (18-6-2, 9koes) and after a quiet 1st round, Frias landed a tremendous right hand in the 2nd round, which put Darchinyan down and out.  Hopefully Darchinyan will not be yet another boxer who continues to fight long after the lights have gone out for him.

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