LAS VEGAS -- Deontay wilder would not leave. Not after a third round knockdown. He was not as Tyson Fury slapped him round after round.
Fury was able to take down Wilder, scoring another knockdown round 10, and then brutally ending Wilder in the 11th at T-Mobile Arena. This resulted in Wilder retaining his WBC heavyweight title. It was one of the most exciting title fights ever.
Five combined knockdowns were performed in the fight, with Fury falling twice and Wilder three times.
Fury (31-0-1; 22 KOs) led all three scorecards at the stoppage: 95-92 (94-92), 95-91 (95-91). It was scored by ESPN at 96-89
Fury, 33, said that it was "a great fight tonight." It was worthy of any trilogy in the history and evolution of the sport. Wilder is a formidable fighter. Wilder is a tough fighter. "I always claimed I was the best person in the world, and he's the second best."
Wilder, 35 years old, has no regard for where he ranks after losing to Fury twice consecutively. However, it is impossible to doubt his heart. Mark Breland, Wilder's assistant trainer, was fired after he lost the seventh round to Fury in February 2020. He claimed that he cannot be counted out and that he wants to "go out on his shield".
Wilder (42-2-1 KOs, 41 KOs), who survived Saturday's third round knockdown, was unsteady when he connected with his trademark right hand in Round 4, sending Fury to the mat. Then Wilder knocked Fury to the mat again just moments later. Fury was on unstable ground by the end of this round.
Wilder was already taking a beating by the seventh round. As Fury continued to pound Wilder with haymaker after Haymaker, he seemed ready to take it all on. The ref was close to intervening to stop the fight at times, but he didn't. Wilder would throw a punch just at the right moment to show that he was still willing to fight.
Deontay Wilder was knocked out by Tyson Fury in Round 11. This round saw five knockdowns. Wilder went down three times, Fury twice and Fury once. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
Wilder's right hand was dangerous, and "The Gypsy King" didn't get reckless. But he kept delivering punishment. Wilder's punches almost caused him to fall several times due to exhaustion. In the 10th, Fury again dropped Wilder. Wilder won the count again.
Finally, in Round 11, Fury managed to land the fight-ending shot. It was a devastating righthand that immediately dropped Wilder. Referee Russell Mora did not bother counting because it was unnecessary. At 1:10 of Round 11, the fight was over. This ended a three-round series that had 30 rounds.
Fury stated, "I'm a sportman. I went over to show him some love and respect. He didn't want it back." "So, I pray for him."
In the days leading up to their third fight, Fury and Wilder were consumed by personal animus. This was a chapter in a trilogy that almost never happened. The December 2018 fight was a controversial draw. Wilder was then evicted by Fury in the February 2020 rematch.
Wilder immediately used his rematch clause and the third meeting was scheduled for July 2020. Wilder suffered an injury which allowed him to get a 90-day extension. The October date was considered, but the COVID-19 epidemic proved to be a huge obstacle. The gate for the Fury-Wilder second fight was nearly $17million. This broke the Nevada record for a heavyweight title bout. PBC and Top Rank were unable to forfeit their precious revenue.
Punch Stats Punches Wilder Total landed 150 72 Percent 39% 20% Juabs landed 36 9 Percent 31% 10% Power landed 114 Power thrown 268 253 percent 43% 25% -- Courtesy CompuBox
Fury-Wilder 3 was originally scheduled for December. However, the schedules of Fox and ESPN presented another obstacle. Fury insisted: He didn’t want the third bout to drag into 2021. Top Rank and Fury considered whether Wilder's rematch clause was expired. Instead, they pursued a massive fight with Anthony Joshua to claim the undisputed heavyweight title.
The Fury-Joshua agreement was reached for August 14 in Saudi Arabia. However, days later, on May 17, an independent arbitrator ruled Fury owed Wilder a third bout and that the rematch clause had not expired.
Fury-Wilder 3, which was to be Fury's third, would now take place on July 24, after Fury tested positive at COVID-19. There was plenty more drama in the trilogy. Wilder offered a variety of excuses after the second bout. They ranged from the absurd (he claimed that a 40-pound ringwalk costume drained his legs) and the baseless (he said Fury loaded Fury's gloves despite being thoroughly inspected by his corner and the Nevada commission).
The acrimony resulted in a promotion that was filled with bad blood. Both boxers promised to maim each other during the lead-up.
Saturday's fight was Fury and Wilder's first since February 2020 when they met. This rare collaboration between Top Rank (PBC) saw them both meet for the first time.
Wilder was knocked out twice in their December 2018 fight, but Fury won nearly every round. Fury was already on the floor when Fury's final round knockdown came down to a devastating right hand and left hook. Fury managed to beat the count and record the moment in heavyweight championship history.
The February 2020 rematch was not competitive. Fury scored knockdowns during the third and fifth rounds, before finishing Wilder off in Round 7. The assistant trainer, Breland, who tried to save Wilder's punishment by throwing in the towel, was immediately expelled from the team.
Malik Scott has replaced Jay Deas in the corner. Wilder knocked out the former heavyweight fringe competitor in round one of their 2014 fight.
The result was the same regardless of where it was placed. The Gypsy King is still the dominant heavyweight division. He was about to leave the ring on Saturday when he took the microphone and performed "Walking in Memphis" from Marc Cohn, with Vegas in its place.
Fury was still the champion of all the world and the most evil man on the planet, and his trilogy with Wilder was over.
