Masterful Tyson Fury dismantles Deontay Wilder to regain heavyweight crown

It was a dream fight in the magic heavyweight kingdom of Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Tyson Fury is the new heavyweight champion of the world after one of the finest performances ever by a British boxer in a title fight.

After 99 seconds of round seven, the white towel of surrender landed on the blood-soaked canvas and Deontay Wilder’s night was over, his reign was over and he could barely stand. He was saved from the hurt.

Fury had dismantled Wilder from the very opening seconds, broken his face, ear, spirit and heart before the end. It was brutal, savage justice for the awful and unfair drawn verdict the pair shared in December 2018, when Fury won clearly. On that night Fury was dropped twice and here, in this unforgiving city, Wilder went down twice; Wilder took a beating from bell to towel.

“It was the fight and the ending I told you would happen,” said Fury. “He took more because he was brave, but I pushed the bully back and there was nothing he could do.”

Wilder went to hospital for a routine check, his coach, Jay Deas, struggling against the shock and emotion in his voice, said that his boxer and friend would be back. Wilder has 30 days to ask for the third fight, which was part of the contract for the rematch.

In round three, as Wilder was backed against the ropes again, Fury connected with a right cross and down went Wilder. The punch was behind the ear, on a spot that ruins a man’s balance. Wilder regained his feet, but he never regained his senses.

In round five a body shot sent Wilder down in a heavy and hurt heap. It is rare in the heavyweight business for a fighter to go down so cleanly from a body shot – it actually looked like the punch lifted Wilder off his size fifteens for a second before he landed on the canvas. He lasted until the bell – the fight was at that point totally extraordinary: Fury had gone toe-to-toe with one of boxing’s most ferocious punchers. He promised he would, we never believed him.

The sixth was another bad round for Wilder, who had entered the fight unbeaten in 43 fights, including 10 consecutive world title fights. Fury was fighting like a possessed man, a man glowing with confidence and boxing genius.

Wilder was slow to raise his towering, battered frame for the seventh. He stood for a second, totally beaten, but refusing to quit, the bell sounded for the seventh and he staggered out. Fury let his fists go and then the bloody white towel came in, completing one of sport’s most remarkable comebacks and stories. Fury’s name is now written in history forever, and all the wins, the belts, the stupid comments, the breakdowns, the ten-stone of weight gain and the suicide plans will always need to be calculated against the pure brilliance and daring of what we witnessed in the MGM ring.

Fury can leave this place a boxing king, he can now lose the fake crown and robe and throne he used to enter the ring; it is time to build the Fury boxing story from fresh stones. He was masterful, it was a privilege to witness.

All talk of Anthony Joshua and the future should be held for a day or two – let us all, especially Fury, breathe in the rare air from a night nobody will ever forget. The Gypsy King has another crown and this one is real.