Tyson Fury: Deontay Wilder caught me flush and I got up, he’s not the biggest puncher

Declan Taylor18 February 2020

Tyson Fury's showdown with Deontay Wilder this weekend may be billed as the most significant heavyweight clash for two decades but the Briton insists it will be nowhere near his toughest fight.

Fury is boxing in Las Vegas for the third time in eight months as his American takeover continues with a another crack at WBC champion Wilder in an eagerly anticipated rematch of their controversial draw in 2018.

That night the 31-year-old clambered up from the canvas twice against the American knockout specialist, but was still furious after the judges failed to award him victory at the Staples Center in LA, with many critics convinced he had outboxed the champion.

Fury is adamant he will not leave it to the judges to decide his fate this time and has promised a knockout fit to grace the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr have topped the bill.

On their first encounter, Fury said: “I wouldn’t say that was my toughest fight, I’d say that was one of my easiest fights.

“Other than the two knockdowns, it was a pretty one-sided fight. I’ve had much difficult fights than that before, much harder than that. Deontay Wilder is not my toughest opponent. That’s for sure. Before I fought him, obviously I didn’t know what he was like in a boxing ring, and after I fought him, I know what he’s like. And I think there’s nothing to worry about.

“He’s got a lot of experience. He’s got more than 40 fights. If he doesn’t know about boxing now at 34 years old, he’s not going to know it. I thought his boxing IQ was okay, but it wasn’t up there with someone like Wladimir Klitschko.”

Fury, the former WBA, IBF and WBO champion, remains unbeaten in 30 fights, while Wilder is also yet to lose in his 43 bouts. Their world title contest here has been described as the biggest heavyweight fight since Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield met for their 1999 rematch.

But in Wilder, who has won 41 of his fights by knockout, it has been suggested by former world heavyweight champion David Haye that Fury is up against the biggest puncher in the history of boxing. However, Fury said: “I’ve felt Wilder’s power and it ain’t so bad. He can’t be the biggest puncher because he couldn’t knock the Gypsy King out, could he?

Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder fight and Undercard

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“I took his best shot flush on the chin and I got back up. To say it’s the biggest punch, I’m not really sure because I didn’t get hit by all the guys in history.

“But, you know, I don’t think he punches harder than Wladimir Klitschko. Wladimir has a massive knockout punch and won a lot more fights than Wilder has.

“Make no mistake, all heavyweights punch hard and we can all knock anybody out.

“Wilder, I don’t think it’s so much his power. It’s the speed it lands at, which can be tricky when you don’t see it coming.

“But there’s no stress to me going into the fight. I’ve been 12 rounds, outboxed him quite comfortably, took his best shots, got up and fired back into him.

“He’s the one who should be concerned. He’s landed the two best punches that any heavyweight in the world could ever land on somebody else, and the Gypsy King rose like a Phoenix from the ashes.

“The way I see it, it’s going to be pretty difficult for Wilder, not me.

“He’s a one-dimensional fighter and I’m going to prove that on Saturday.”

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