Fury v Wilder 3.. All on the line.

                                 

This Saturday at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas, the Golden Knights step aside to allow the 3rd instalment of an intriguing heavyweight rivalry to take place when WBC champion Tyson Fury 30-0-1 (21 Ko’s) meets the explosive former champion Deontay Wilder 42-1-1 (41 Ko’s) for global bragging rights and the chance to step closer to a unification bout with newly crowned champion Oleksandr Usyk. Earlier in 2021 it appeared as if Tyson Fury was getting set to meet WBO, WBA and IBF champion Anthony joshua in a financially lucrative all British unification affair, that was until May 17th when American judge Daniel Weinstein ruled in Deontay Wilders favour in an unexpected arbitrary decision based on a contractual rematch clause, executed at the final hour by the former WBC champion. The arbitration ruled that Tyson Fury had to defend his championship against Wilder on or before September 15th 2021 or risk being stripped. Fury v Wilder 3 was set for July 24th in Las Vegas but was unfortunately postponed when the WBC champion tested positive for Covid 19, leaving us here with a week to go until the rescheduled date. Since their last meeting Deontay Wilder has replaced scapegoated former trainer Mark Breland with former victim Malik Scott as head coach, who appears to be adding subtle changes to the former champions arsenal. Scott a technical student of the sport has posted cameos of Wilder shooting more to the body and moving his head and feet more in what appears a desperate attempt to teach an old dog new tricks. Wilders nature is to punch, if opportunities present themselves expect Wilder to revert to type and snatch wildly with what he knows. Fury however hides nothing about his approach, ever since he rose from the canvas in December 2018 to be backhanded with a draw, Fury obsessed to all whom would listen about how he would outgun and outmuscle Wilder in their next instalment. Much to everyone’s surprise 14 months later Fury would act true to his word, forcing Wilder onto the back foot and systematically dismantling the bewildered champion knocking Deontay down twice in a breathtaking display to earn him the title and hand Wilder his sole defeat. The only difference about Fury’s boasts this time is that he vows to stop the challenger much faster this time around. With all of the talking aside we still have an interesting fight, a multi skilled, colourful, mobile 270 pounder against an enigmatic, spiteful 220 pound sniper who still possesses the artillery to render anyone foolish enough to stand in front of him unconscious in a match with everything on the line. Despite his boasts Fury still insists that Wilder can’t be slept on and no stone can be left unturned if he is to repeat a similar victory to last February. Likewise, Wilder is fully aware of the mammoth task that lies ahead of him and understands that excuses aside, defeat this time is a hard one to come back from which makes him an extremely dangerous commodity. This Saturdays fight if nothing else, is a spectacle.