LAS VEGAS — Tyson Fury is a heavyweight champion once again, dominating Deontay Wilder in their title rematch before Wilder’s corner threw in the towel in the seventh round.
Wilder’s corner threw in the towel in the seventh round.
A boxer in their first fight, Fury went on the attack in the rematch and knocked Wilder down twice before a flurry of punches in the seventh prompted his corner to call an end to the highly anticipated rematch.
Fury dropped Wilder in the third round with a right hand that seemed to take the legs out of the champion. He put him down again in the fifth round, this time with a left hand to the body.
It was the first loss ever for Wilder in 44 fights. It was the 11th defense of the title he won in 2015.
The world has never seen a heavyweight champion quite like Fury, the British behemoth who celebrated by leading his fans in a chorus of “American Pie” from the ring at the MGM Grand hotel, according to The Associated Press.
After the fight he talked about how he will only get better as his career goes on.
“Not bad for a fat guy who can’t punch,” the 6-foot-9 Fury crowed after handing Wilder his first defeat in a fight so one-sided that Wilder’s corner finally threw in the towel at 1:39 of the seventh round.
An AP analysis says it wasn’t supposed to play out like this. Not against an unbeaten heavyweight champion so feared he had knocked out 41 of 43 men put in the ring against him.
