By Miguel Maravilla
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is pretty much quiet now this time of year with the Crimson Tide’s college football season over. Now it’s time for Tuscaloosa’s own WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs) to the take the stage as he looks to settle some unfinished business with Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) renewing his rivalry with the Englishman in the rematch Saturday, February 22 live on FOX Sports PPV & ESPN+ PPV live at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“This is the biggest heavyweight fight. February 22nd when the bell rings they’ll be no joke. It’s going to be a great fight. It’s unfinished business for me, I cant wait,” Deontay Wilder told Fightnews.com®.
It was December of 2018 that the two titans clashed as Wilder and Fury squared off at the Staples Center. Fighting to a draw as Wilder dropped Fury two times in the fight. Knocking down the giant in the ninth and also in the twelfth and final round as Fury got up like Jason from Friday the 13th, Michael Myers from Halloween, or the Undertaker.
“The first fight was my time. It was amazing. When I look at the first fight. I see myself aggressive. I saw him doing a lot of taunting. I also look at it and I see myself too aggressive. Certain things I look at that I normally don’t do in a fight,” Wilder said about the first fight. “He got up and we have to give him credit for that but now he knows what I can do to him,” Wilder added.
Since then Wilder has fought twice scoring two devastating knockouts. Following the Fury fight, Wilder destroyed 2012 U.S Olympian Dominic Breazeale with a highlight reel first round knockout and followed up with another knockout in his next fight.
“My last two outings, don’t make it better for him. They know what they’re up against,” Wilder said.
Wilder is coming off a devastating knockout over Cuban heavyweight Luis ‘King Kong” Ortiz in a rematch. In that fight, Wilder was down on the judges’ scorecards when he knocked out Ortiz in the seventh.
“His outings compare to my outings. It’s day and night,” Wilder said. “He’s a great fighter, I’ll give him that,”
Struggling in his last fight, Fury is coming off a very tough fight as he defeated Sweden’s Otto Wallin by decision. A bout which saw Fury suffer a nasty cut that gave the Gypsy King issues throughout the fight.
“I thought the fight should’ve been stopped. When you got a 3 to 4 inch cut in your eye and its about 2 inches deep. I understand he has a big fight coming up against me,” Wilder said about Fury’s last fight. “If I open that cut It’s not going to be good. I’m coming with bad intentions.”
Yesterday Monday afternoon WIlder stood face to face with Fury for the first time since meeting in the ring over a year ago. Jawing at each other, Wilder feels that Fury is a nervous wreck coming into this fight. Fury has promised to trade with Wilder, a promise that Wilder himself doesn’t take seriously.
“He says he is going to knock me out in two rounds. I don’t believe it. I don’t believe anything he says. He is very nervous. I don’t feel or believe that he will knock me out,” Wilder said.
The champ has already begun his training camp as he prepares for the rematch with Fury. Training with his longtime trainer Jay Deas and 1984 Olympic gold medalist former world champion Mark Breland.
“We have guys that bring the herky-jerky style. Big guys that can mix it up to help me prepare for Fury,” Wilder on his preparation. “More patience and being more calm is what I need to work on. A lot of feet positioning there will be somethings that will change to help me come February 22nd,”
So far Wilder is 2-0, 2 KOs in rematches as he will look to improve that stat to 3-0.
“In the rematch, I’m much better in the ring because what I’ve seen in my opponent,” Wilder explained. “With him, I know what he will do. Everything he wants to do. I’ll diffuse it. I’m looking forward to the rematch,”
Looking to make the eleventh defense of his WBC title he won over Bermaine Stiverne five years ago, Wilder will look to make a statement in the rematch.
“I knock guys out. It won’t be different this time. You’ll see a much more patient and calmer Wilder,” Wilder said. “It will be a beautiful moment in the ring for me but not for him,”
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Of course Wilder has unfinished business.
He fought like shit and looked like shit for most all of the fight.
Like a beginer
Wilder always looks like sh*t for most of his fights, then the right hand lands.
Fury wouldn’t fight he’s the same in all his fights If you can call them fights, a product od carp media.
In this rematch, Wilder needs to stop trying to box Fury in a “wannabe” textbook manner. That’s a waste of time since Fury is an expert at boxing as a heavyweight. However, Wilder needs to continually stalk Fury at angles cutting off the ring with no breaks. Fury tends to get flat footed when he is close to the ropes and that sets up the crushing right hand to floor him again. Fury relies on the ropes at times to balance him and his feet are flat which makes him vulnerable to fall over like a tree when he is cracked. It’s much harder to gain balance when one’s feet are flat on the canvas. Wilder tends to wing punches wide and the folks in China can see the punch first before it comes back in the ring. Fury is slick and can see the punch coming so he can move enough for it to miss. Wilder needs to continually stalk, jab, and step with short punches.
Wilder is the most dangerous puncher in boxing today, but Tyson Fury has the skills, chin and talent to over come Wilders power and beat Wilder. You know if that happens we’re all gonna get to see a third fight between the two somewhere down the line…
Agreed. AJ I doubt will fight either one…..Fury would outbox AJ while Wilder’s right cross would smoke him like Ruiz’s punch did…..LOL
The only adjustment Wilder needs to make is to shoot them punches straight not looping nothing wild and avoid throwing them all with intent to kill let it come natural and its there.
I dont see Fury winning in the rematch or even coming close to how he performed the first time out.
I like both fighters but a motivated a fury can Box. Agree Wilder has a punchers chance, I see it going the way of Holmes-Shavers!
Seems Fury just looking for a paycheck. He doesn’t seeem to have the same confidence he had just a few years ago. Surely, this is against the advice of his wife, father, pastor, etc. Fury is blessed with natural ability but scared to let anyone think he tried his best. He is more comfortable with an excuse. He will always let down his fans eventually, no matter what. Fury will be on his bike playing paddy cakes for as long as he can.
Both Fury and Wilder have had two fights. Fury has looked like crap and got real lucky in his last fight. Wilder on the other had destroyed Breazeale and once again knocked out Ortiz. These are both top ten fighters. Fury faced two guys nobody knows. I think the rematch is going to be a lot easier for Wilder. Fury is going into this fight knowing he can get hurt. He believed Wilder couldnt hurt him and now he knows better. Wilder on the other hand will enter more confident than the first time. We all know Wilder can be out boxed, but after 40+ fights hes gone the distance twice and its hard to believe it will happen again.
As long as Wilder works off the jab, uses angles, and quits throwing looping punches I think he will bring some havoc in the ring. In addition, he needs to step up his work rate and force Fury to open up more. That tactic alone can set up a powerful right hand.
Lol Fury lost every single round against Ortiz before the KO…..
I mean Wilder…
That’s what I love about boxing. That one bomb of a right hand can change it up in an instant. Fury knows wilder can bang and Wilder knows Fury can box. Now, let’s see who can capitalize til the end!
Fury gets motivated for the big fights and he will do so again.
I think Wilder needs to come at 230 lbs….Fury was so much heavier in the first fight and that helped him a lot.
Same ol same ol, Fury and Wilder yelling in each others face. I don’t know who will win this one, but you know who I think would beat up on Wilder? Baby Face Kownacki! I see him going inside and swarming him just like he did to Washington!
Fury in 2!
Where is noracistsallowed? Isn’t it time for him to post something like “we wiz kangs”?