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Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury III: Everything you need to know
The third edition of the captivating Wilder-Fury saga is coming soon to a television screen near you.
Tyson Fury (30-0-1), the current WBC heavyweight champion, and Deontay Wilder (42-1-1) will square off at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, in a bout billed as "Once and For All."
It's one of the most highly anticipated matchups in recent memory, as two titans face off in a battle bound to create seismic waves in the heavyweight division. There's a lot at stake, including pride, legacies and, of course, title glory.
Here's everything you need to know about the massive bout.
How to watch
You can catch all of the action on the FOX Sports PBC pay-per-view. Order today!
What's on the line
We'll start with the obvious. To be the best, you've got to beat the best, and both men have proven to be just that for a number of years.
But only one will walk away with the undisputed championship belt draped across his body.
The man who currently holds first-rate bragging rights is Fury. The 6-foot-9, 273-pound behemoth – self-dubbed the "Gypsy King" – handed Wilder his first professional loss in the second bout between the two.
After a tasty first fight, that saw then-WBC champ Wilder walk away unscathed with a draw, Fury pounced on Wilder early in the rematch. He floored him using several flurries from the opening bell and connected squarely with a right hook that sent Wilder to the canvas in Round 3.
Fury dropped Wilder again in the fifth round, and the fight was stopped in the seventh after Wilder's camp threw in the towel amidst an onslaught of Fury blows. The victory netted Fury the WBC heavyweight belt – the first of his career.
Inside the Wilder-Fury beef
While the WBC championship – and all of its perks – is on the line, there also exists a bit of bad blood between the pair.
Following their second fight, Wilder unleashed a barrage of explanations to account for the loss. These reasons included that the outfit he wore to the ring was too heavy and stripped him of his lower-body power, speculation that his former trainer, Mark Breland, spiked his water, and claims that Fury doctored his gloves to gain an advantage.
Fury responded to the accusations by questioning Wilder's personal merits.
"I don’t really make much of the excuses that were flying around for so long," Fury said. "I think they just made him a weaker character and less of a man and less of a fighter because when you get beat, you get beat. Shake the man’s hand and move on.
"I’m going to go all guns blazing, full-out attack, all in victory, straight out of the door from Round 1 until it finishes," he added of the rematch. "It’s either going to be me or Wilder. I’ve never had a bad training camp, and I’m in the best shape of my life. I’m injury-free, which is the most important thing. I’m really looking forward to it, and I can’t wait."
The two have traded punches on social media as well.
Keys to success
For Wilder, stamina will be critical. He possesses power like few ever have (41 of his 42 wins have come by knockout), and Fury knows that all too well (Wilder knocked him down twice in their first fight, as pictured above).
But Wilder can't afford to bum rush Fury and get caught in a clinching battle. Fury, who weighed 40 pounds more than Wilder ahead of their previous match, will smother Wilder with his weight and place as much pressure on his lower half as he can to wear him out.
In addition, Fury plans to come in heavier for their third tilt.
Wilder's a ticking time-bomb when it comes to his right hook and uppercut, and one punch could be all she wrote. He'll look to stay on the outside, blast Fury with jabs and wait for his chance to strike with a haymaker.
Fury, on the other hand, is one of the heavyweight division's most skilled technical fighters. His most recent outing against Wilder was a masterclass, and he and his crew were able to capitalize on a stark weakness they found in Wilder's arsenal: He has a difficult time parrying opponents while moving backward.
And so, unlike most of Wilder's other foes, Fury charged right toward him, staying on his hip and smothering him with his weight. Fury's mindset was simple – he can't knock me out if he's on the defensive – and that translated to a win.
The odds
FOX Bet has Fury favored in the matchup, at -300, while Wilder is the underdog at +225. As far as method of victory, FOX Bet has Fury by knockout or TKO at -120, Fury by decision at +290, Wilder by KO/TKO at +275 and Wilder by decision at +2000.
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