Tyson Fury: 'I should have won, but my respects to Wilder'
- by Grady King
- in Sport
- — Dec 3, 2018
Deontay Wilder, left, connects with Tyson Fury, of England, during a WBC heavyweight championship boxing match, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, in Los Angeles. "I came here tonight and I fought my heart out".
Wilder (40-0-1) floored Fury (27-0-1) in the ninth and final rounds, yet Fury clearly outboxed Wilder for large portions of their meeting at Staples Center. It was a great fight, and let's do it again. While Fury came out with heightened public perception of his abilities and standing in the game, Wilder's stock drops with this draw.
Fury still remained ahead for most until the 12th and final round, when he was on the receiving end of a vicious combination from Wilder that appeared to knock him out cold.
"We're on away soil", he said.
"As long as I'm focused for the full duration of the fight, I don't see him landing any punches at all", Fury said.
Fury, who many observers thought was unlucky not to be handed the decision despite two knockdowns, said he was ready to face Wilder again.
Wilder said his two knockdowns meant he "definitely won the fight". That man is a fearsome puncher and I was able to avoid that.
The Briton frustrated his big-hitting American counterpart but produced blows of his own, landing a stunning left-right in the seventh that prompted Wilder to give chase and swing to no avail as Fury evaded.
Fury also said he hopes to arrange a rematch.
Manny Pacquiao is looking forward to seeing a second chapter in the Wilder-Fury story after watching "two great heavyweights trading shots". It doesn't matter to me where we do it.
The two-weight world champion posted: "A draw, I understand (even tho I feel Fury won by a 2 or 3 rds)".
Fury was disappointed not to have been given the win, but felt he performed better than Joshua would have done - the IBF, WBA and WBO champion having failed to agree terms to fight Wilder this year. I think my emotions got the best of me and I don' think, I know, my emotions got the best of me just wanting to just really get him out of there.
Fury struggled to generate consistent offense until a strong sixth round, likely costing himself early rounds.
Wilder finally found a home for the right hand in the ninth round. Everyone from Chadwick Boseman, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Shaquille O'Neal to boxing stars Gennady Golovkin and Mikey Garcia gathered for the marquee heavyweight bout.
Fury recovered well however and regained his composure to resume where he had left off.