Englishman Tyson Fury has handed Deontay Wilder the first loss of his professional career, claiming the WBC heavyweight title with a seventh-round technical knockout.
Fight referee Kenny Bayless was recognising a request from Wilder’s camp, who literally threw in the towel with their man pinned on the opposite corner and unable to defend himself against a combination from his English opponent.
Fury had sent Wilder to the canvas with a devastating shot in the third round, with the American wobbly on his feet once he did get back up after a six or seven count.
Wilder hit the mat again in the fourth, but he had merely slipped. That was not the case in the next round, when Fury landed a furious, left-handed head-body combination that sent Wilder down again.
Bayless took a point off Fury later in the round for an infraction, meaning it was likely a 9-8 win for the Mancunian, and Wilder returned to his corner with blood coming from his mouth and left ear.
The sixth round was less eventful, but no doubt won by Fury as he pinned the struggling American against the ropes for most of the three minutes.
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Wilder, who entered the figWilder v Fury II: WBC sanctions ‘direct’ rematchht with 42 wins and a draw from 43 professional bouts, was barely defending himself in the seventh round when the towel was thrown into the ring.
It was a complete turnaround from their previous fight in December 2018, when Wilder knocked Fury down and seemingly out cold, only for the man dubbed the Gypsy King to bounce back to his feet and salvage a draw.
It was the first time Wilder, who scored knockouts in all but one of his 42 wins since turning pro in 2008, did not have his arm raised by the referee after a fight.
Tyson Fury said he would knock Deontay Wilder out. And he has delivered with aplomb.
A devastating performance from start to finish from Fury, who formulated a game plan and stuck to it, thoroughly vindicating his decision to change trainer and dedicate himself to a new style for this contest.
abc. net
