Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury 2: A Gigantic Sequel
WHEN: Saturday, February 22
WHERE: MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV
NETWORK: FOX/ESPN PPV
TIME: 9:00 PM ET
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (42-0-1, 41KOs) and former unified heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (29-0, 20KOs) will rekindle their rivalry under the bright lights of Las Vegas on February 22.
On December 1, 2018, these two men would wage a battle that is still being talked about “TIL THIS DAY.” Filled with excitement, drama and controversy, these gigantic heavyweights will do it again!
In the first fight, Wilder was the overwhelming favorite due to his monstrous power and Fury’s inactivity coupled with the lack of quality competition in the two fights prior. The skill of the 6’9 Gypsy King was never in question. It was his ability to take the power and whether or not his reflexes and foot movement would be there in time for his WBC title opportunity.
Once the two men stepped in the ring, it was clear that not only was Tyson Fury still the nimble and elusive man we saw upset longtime reigning heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko back in 2015, but that Wilder would have to dig deep if he wanted to retain his coveted green belt.
Fury showed his class early using tremendous footwork, distance and his ring IQ to keep the hard-hitting Alabama native at bay. Wilder, nullified for a lot of the fight, would press forward, often unsuccessfully. That is, until the 9th round! He would catch Fury with a hard right-hand that sent him tumbling to the canvas. Not severely hurt, Fury would rise to his feet.
FINAL ROUND DRAMA!
Sensing that he may be down on the cards, Wilder would score a pivotal second knockdown of Fury. A right-hand left hook combination dropped Fury, which seemed to be the final nail in the coffin!
RISING UP LIKE THE UNDERTAKER
Fury would do the unimaginable and rise up from the brink of defeat like he was The Undertaker and beat the count! The controversy stems from many people watching feeling like Jack Reiss gave a generously long count to Fury.
Needless to say, Fury got up and actually appeared to get the better of Wilder in the second half of that dramatic 12th and final round.
PREDICTION TIME
We all know that Fury is the better technical and fundamentally sound fighter. He also possesses a two-inch height advantage and he’s gotten up twice after tasting the devastating power of Wilder. Fury will need to keep the same distance as he did in the first fight and be more active. He also needs to sit down on his punches when the opportunity presents itself.
As for Wilder, we know he’s the more athletic and unorthodox fighter with huge power. His jab, which is very good, will need to be his main weapon to set up his big right-hand. He needs to vary how he throws it. Shoot it to the body of Fury to distract him. He would bode well from mixing up his attack, incorporating more of the left hook as well. Hit Fury everywhere that’s legal, make him feel that power all over.
With both men proclaiming a knockout victory, all signs point to a potential slug-fest. That favors Wilder due to his power, but also provides danger due to Fury and his ability to throw shorter, crisper shots.
The time has come to make a prediction! This is a true 50/50 fight. Both men will have their moments. Hell, they may even drop each other along the way. I think this fight will top their initial stanza in terms of competitive action. Both men are mentally strong and believe wholeheartedly in themselves.
In the end, I see Wilder landing his well talked about right-hand and finishing what he started in their first fight. Fury won’t get up this time as the fight ends in the tenth round!
By: Jerrell Fletcher
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