After their first fight was announced, only a handful gave Tyson Fury a chance of upsetting Deontay Wilder following a hellacious two-and-a-half years out of the ring. But he did just that, not in the eyes of the judges, but in the eyes of most fans and former professionals.
In Los Angeles at Staples Center on December 1 2018, Fury and Wilder fought to a controversial and much-talked about split decision draw after the Bronze Bomber, largely outboxed throughout the fight, floored the Gypsy King on two occasions, the second one being the more ferocious of the two.
Ironically, it was English judge Phil Edwards’ 114-114 card which decided proceedings.
Had Fury stayed on his feet in the 12th, he’d have been the winner by split decision.
But over a year later, here we are, two months away from the rematch, nearly a year after it had been touted to happen. Wilder vs Fury 2 for the WBC World Heavyweight title. No 1 vs No 2 in the division.
And with the possibility of a third fight, depending on how the second goes, we could be in for a trilogy of heavyweight classics to look back on once both fighters have hung their gloves up.
Top Rank and ESPN, Fury’s American promoters and networks, along with Wilder’s PBC and FOX, will collaborate for the first time ever in order for both fighters, each earning 50 per cent of the final pot, to settle things in the ring again.
ESPN signed Fury on a five-fight, reported £80million-deal earlier this year just when it looked like he’d be entering into negotiations for the WBC-mandated rematch.
But both waited. Fury defeated Tom Schwarz and Otto Wallin, despite having a 47-stitch cut opened up by the latter, while Wilder decimated Dominic Breazeale and Luis Ortiz with 1st and 7th-round knockouts, respectively.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who’s compared Fury to Muhammad Ali before, likening their eccentric persoanlities to each other, and Fury’s UK promoter Frank Warren, are both confident they’ll see their man win the battle of the heavyweights come the end of February.
Arum, who was involved with the major commercial success that was Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao, has high hopes that Wilder and Fury 2 will generate two million pay-per-view buys – something he relayed to Express Sport back in April.
For context, Mayweather-Pacquiao did 4.6million buys, but since ‘Money’ retired, only Canelo Alvarez’s clashes with Gennady Golovkin have hit the one million marl. 350,000-5000,000 is what’s considered a respectable benchmark today.
“The first fight did 350,000 [on American pay-per-view], but nobody knew Tyson Fury in the States,” Arum added.
“And based on his two prior fights nobody gave him a chance. He’s a guy who’s larger than life, he knows how to promote himself.
“For the first time ever in the United States we have two major networks working on the same promotion [Fox and ESPN]. Me and Al Haymon came together earlier this year.
“Al made it clear to me he wanted everything to run smoother than when we did Mayweather-Pacquiao together. And he’s kept his word.
“It’ll do two million buys.”
Warren believes this fight is bigger than Anthony Joshua’s revenge mission rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr at the beginning of December.
He said: “Whereas Joshua-Ruiz was about revenge, this is about two undefeated boxers at the top of their game – in my opinion the No 1 and No 2 in the world. This is not some fat guy coming and upsetting everyone.
“This is the most dynamic puncher is the last 25-30 years of the heavyweight division against the smartest box, who can punch as well.
“When Tyson fought first time round he lost 10 or 11 stone, so he wasn’t training for the fight, he was training to make the weight.
“He’s on the weight now, so he’s training for the fight.
“What can Wilder do differently from the first fight? Not a lot lot. What can Tyson do differently. I think quite a lot.
On February 22, we’ll find out just who the best in the world is. Fury will look to outbox like he did the first time. And Wilder will be after that one second of magic.
He took Fury down twice before, but not with his straight right hand. While Fury outsmarted Wilder, but so soon after his return to the ring.
Hardcore boxing fans will truly get to see both at their best in just under eight weeks time. Arum and Warren will be hoping millions of casuals do, too.