By Gabriel Princewill-
Deontey Wilder and Tyson Fury have both weighed in for their big fight on Saturday night.Wilder weighed a career heaviest of 231 pounds(16.7stone) whilst Fury has come in at 273 pounds(19.7kg)
The long awaited rematch between Deontey Wilder and Tyson Fury is finally upon us.Boxing pundits are split about the expected outcome, their vision blurred by the thrilling close first encounter that delivered a close draw.
This will be the biggest fight for both Deontey Wilder and Tyson Fury. Fury will join the elites of history if he is able to seize the WBC belt which Wilder has defended an impressive ten times. He will sit on a high pedastol with the likes of Mohammed Ali, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Ken Norton and many more. Nobody will be able to shut him up as he spits kingly lyrics and exudes even greater confidence than he ever has, if he is triumphant in Las Vegas before a global audience.
Fury has the relatively arduous task of having to beat another supremely confident man in Deontey Wilder, who is so far a stranger to defeat. Wilder has come in at his heaviest so far and is all muscle. Not an once of fat in him, meaning his punch may even be more explosive than ever. Fury has vowed to put Wilder on the back foot, force him into the kind of war he has never encountered, one he believes will make the American fold and quit on his stool.
That theoretical scenario can possibly work if Fury is feeling just as confident doing it as he is talking about it, without being blasted out in the process. He has come in exactly 3 stone heavier than Wilder, but the question is whether all that weight could end up being more of an encumbrance than an advantage. Fury has always moved impressively for a man his size, but one has to question whether 19.5 stone is a decent weight even for a good mover like Fury.
Tyson Fury flaunts his confidence in first fight
Fury may be planning to swamp Wilder in the early rounds like he vowed to do and use all his weight to sap the American’s energy . Such a strategy is the recommendation of his father, John Fury. Saturday night could indeed be a spectacle to behold, we have to wait to see how things unfold in one of the most intriguing fight for one of the most intriguing heavyweight fights for nearly two decades, if that.
DANGEROUS
The attributes of both fighters are well known. Wilder possesses a dangerous right hand that magically ends fights, whilst Fury brings technical guile, agility and a big heart to the party. The gypsy king is known for his ring generalship and can be tenacious at the best of times. Fury openly claims to be going for a second round knockout of the champion; a claim most observers attribute to hype talk than a realistic outcome or plan.
The question is could it really happen? Accusing Fury of hot air is no longer a cogent allegation one can make, not after beating Wladimir Klitschko and almost snatching Wilder’s WBC belt in December 2018 in Los Angeles.
Notwithstanding, a second round stoppage of Wilder is more far fetched than probable, not that anything is outside the realms of probability. Metaphorically speaking, Wilder walks with a hammer in his hand in every fight. There is no telling when he will land with it and turn the lights of his opponents out.
A final round knockdown in their first fight saved Wilder from losing a belt many thought he should have lost anyway after marginally trailing Fury for most of the rounds. Yet, many have also posed plausible questions as to whether it would have been proper for a man who was down and practically out before a miraculous and impressive resurrection threw him back to his feet to walk away with the championship belt. This is where politics and conventional round scoring can be bitterly conflicted.
Ask Americans whether they think Wilder was robbed, and most will say no whilst some will say yes. Ask Brits, and most will say he was robbed, with fewer saying the decision was fair. The exciting thing about this fight is that Wilder and Fury are both looking for a decisive win. Fury does not see the reasoning that rationalises the outcome of a draw by any stretch of the imagination.
Wilder is adamant that Fury was given too long a count, and should have been counted out. Saturday night before a global audience will provide the opportunity for both men to produce is dominant exhibition of brilliance and conclusiveness.
PREDICTION
Who will win? The bookies are split on this one, and all predictions at best for this clash are mere conjectures. Whether Wilder will open up the cuts Fury sustained against Otto Wallin is an unknown factor, as is the need for the amusing Briton to successfully avoid getting clocked by Wilder’s right hand. The giant and enigmatic gypsy king as he is so called, also has phenomenal recuperating powers.
This is boxer v puncher, anything can happen. My suspicion is that Fury’s career heavyweight will be more detrimental than advantageous in a fight of this magnitude with Wilder’s all muscle 16 stone 7 muscle signalling real danger in his punching power. My money is on Wilder’s anointed right hand to close the show spectacularly by the 6th round of an potentially enthralling fight. Fury will be greatly revered if he pulls this off by points or stoppage.