The last boxing event I covered before the pandemic hit was Wilder-Fury 2, so it is ironic that I will be back in the building for the first time for Fury-Wilder 3.
It has been a long road to get to this third fight.
I am not going to rehash all the excuses, accusations, delays, court cases, and foolishness that have been plagued the lead up to this event, but none of that matters now, with the fight only 24 hours.
What matters is the legacy of these two fighters and just know there are legacies on the line.
Let’s just break it down honestly and objectively, no fanboying, just the facts you need to know while watching the fight and you can also get the best odds on this fight at AZ Betting Ninja.
TYSON FURY:
You can make a compelling argument that Fury has one 17 of the 19 rounds they have fought and won them convincingly. In the second fight, he dominated from the opening bell until the towel was thrown in. It was about a clear of a victory that one could have in the heavyweight division.
Many people think that Fury just has Wilder’s number. Once he figured out how to neutralize Wilder’s best weapon, his right hand (more on that later), he could control Wilder in the ring. The concern with Fury is that you never exactly know where he is mentally before a fight.
While Wilder has been mainly in Alabama training, Fury has been everywhere. He also has been dealing with some personal issues. He contracted COVID, and his newborn baby had some complications that caused her to be in the hospital for a couple of weeks. There were reports he was getting beat up in training, and his focus has been off. Fury always talks a good game, and the fact is he has never been beaten when he stepped into the ring, so if he gets to the ring, he is a very difficult boxer to deal with.
Is he overconfident? Is he overlooking Wilder? The fight he really wanted was Anthony Joshua, and that fell by the wayside. If Fury is 100% on his game and focused, I think the consensus Wilder can’t beat him, but what if he is 80%? It doesn’t matter if you win six rounds if you have a lapse in concentration and get knocked out in the 7th.
Deontay Wilder:
Wilder has set himself to be vindicated or crushed. I am not sure if he genuinely believes that Fury cheated in their second fight, but if he does, what would it do for his mental health if he loses the third fight cleanly? With all the accusations that have been thrown around, one can assume that every little thing will be checked and doubled check. Wilder, who has admitted he wasn’t quite right in their second fight, claims he has had no issues leading up to the third fight. He says this is the best Wilder anyone will ever see. He can’t blame Mark Breland if he loses this time.
While Wilder will never be Bernard Hopkins in the ring, you still have to be able to do some fundamental things to set up knockouts. There is one thing Wilder always does that Fury caught on to and eliminated in the second fight.
You see, Wilder, who is very athletic, does a little hop skip jab to get into range to throw his right hand quickly. Fury, in this case, tried to slip the punch, but because Wilder closed the distance so fast, he was right in range. In the second fight, Fury simply backed away when Wilder would skip forward, or he would lean into him to smother the right hand. This is something Wilder has to avoid. These are the things that Malik Scott hopefully is training him on, so he isn’t so predictable in the ring.
Wilder has been locked into training for months. He seems super focused, so I expect to get the best version of Wilder. He isn’t going to win a decision (unless he has multiple knockdowns), so he is going to have to impose his will on Fury. They have both shown the ability to knock each other down, but Wilder still has the edge in putting someone to sleep, which would be the best way for him to win.
Beyond his legacy, if he loses this fight, he will be locked out of the World Championship picture for a while. Fury likely would never fight him again. Usyk and Joshua have a rematch next year, and the winner of that would likely fight Fury. That means Wilder might not get another shot at the belt to at least 2023, and who knows if he will still be around by then.
….
This fight is simple and complex at the same time. A lot depends on the mental side of things than the physical, to be honest.
In the end, Wilder just has too much to lose to throw up a dud. If he gets dominated again, no one is going to buy any excuses. This is literally a do or die for him.
Wilder by 7th round KO.