Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder press conference - as it happened: Fighters reaction after heavyweight clash ends in draw
The two fighters took to the podium to give their takes on a thrilling fight
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Your support makes all the difference.Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury were both left stunned after their incredible split decision draw in Los Angeles
Wilder, who retains his WBC heavyweight world title, twice sent Fury to the canvas late into the fight only for the challenger to pick himself up and salvage the draw.
He had dominated the early rounds and looked set for another historic victory before Wilder grew in confidence and connected with extraordinary shots in the ninth and final round. Watch live coverage and follow our news updates below.
Report
On his long and painful road back to the summit of the heavyweight division, Tyson Fury has survived sinking sixteen pints of Stella a day, a cocaine addiction, a doping scandal and an aborted attempt to kill himself. Add to that list, a pair of Deontay Wilder’s feared overhand rights, which twice relegated Fury to the canvas in a wild ninth round. But Fury picked himself up to draw this most chaotic of heavyweight fights, and in doing so climbed to impossible new heights.
This was a script so plainly implausible that even the well-heeled luvvies who had travelled down from Hollywood Hills turned for the exits scarcely able to comprehend what they had just witnessed. The end result: a split decision draw that sees Wilder retain his WBC heavyweight world title, after Fury dominated the early rounds only for Wilder to twice catch him late on — first in the ninth and then in the twelfth.
Neither man was happy with the outcome. A rematch is not just a formality — but a must. READ MORE.
It's not just about Fury and Wilder tonight (I know right, I can't believe it either).
There is actually quite a tasty undercard.
Luke Brown has done a lovely write-up on it.
You've not seen the BT Sport documentaries on Fury and Wilder, have you?
Don't worry. You've still got time. I've sorted you right out here. Give this a watch in a new tab (don't close this one that wouldn't be very nice). Firstly, here's the story of Deontay Wilder.
It's fair to say that Tyson Fury has got under the skin of Deontay Wilder over the last week or so.
From pushing and shoving at press conferences to tweeting angry words, the pair haven't exactly seen eye-to-eye. Will the anger just drive the American champion on or will it make him sloppy?
Tonight's fight poses so many big questions...
This is the man with the game plan that could see the Gypsy King walk away from the Staples Centre with the one belt in boxing he has failed to win.
Ben Davison is just 25-years-old but has worked with the likes of Fury and Billy Joe Saunders for little over a year, was the key man in Tyson's weight loss and thus far the pair's relationship has been fruitful.
Tonight is the real acid test though.
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In the same arena that Fury risks his reputation and dares to achieve the unthinkable, our man at ringside this evening Luke Brown took a trip back in time for our long reads section, looking at the day Lennox Lewis gambled it all against Vitali Klitschko one last time.
Read it, it's incredible.
Speaking of Buncey, want to know his prediction for the big one?
Look no further.
Height, weight, records, net worth and how we got here. This is the tale of the tape.
Home advantage is a real thing when it comes to boxing. And despite this bout being in Wilder's home country of America, Fury actually believes he has the home advantage.
“I was in camp and a guy came over and said the Wladimir Klitschko fight was a great fight, and asked me what I was doing over here... I said I was training to fight Deontay Wilder. He said ‘Who’s that guy?’ I told him he was the American world heavyweight champion. He didn’t know him.
“Deontay Wilder, who? I believe Deontay’s thinking he needs to defeat me to give himself some gratification. And what better time to do it when he thinks I’m at my lowest?”
It never stops with Tyson.
Deontay Wilder can punch. What's more: he can punch really, really hard.
Just ask Audley Harrison.
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