It’s fair to say the Deontay Wilder is a touch fortunate to be in the position he’s in. Having lost his rematch against Tyson Fury in February 2020, it was hard to envisage there being a third fight between the pair, especially when you consider that many felt Fury had done enough to win the first fight.
Yet, that is the situation the American finds himself. Having held firm against Fury and Anthony Joshua’s attempts to brush aside Wilder’s demands for a third fight, he now has the opportunity to take on Fury again and exact revenge for the bitter blow dealt to him by the Manchester fighter last year.
Neither Wilder nor Fury have stepped in the ring since they met at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in early 2020, and it will be interesting to see how both fighters cope with their return to action. Fury is the favourite in the Wilder vs Fury 3 odds from Betfair, but Wilder has had a singular focus since that defeat, pouring all his efforts into getting himself ready for another crack at the unbeaten ‘Gypsy King’.
Fury has not exactly had an easy time of things during the pandemic, struggling with some of his old vices and perhaps not putting in as much hard work as Wilder has. Indeed, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn recently said that he feels Fury is not in the right shape to take on the American, but still feels the Englishman has the edge.
“Tyson Fury doesn’t look ready, in my opinion,” Hearn said. “I still think he’ll win comfortably, but it does throw in the likelihood of a mistake happening. If you make a mistake against Deontay Wilder, it could cost you the fight. He’s very dangerous. I don’t see him [Fury] losing a round, but it doesn’t really matter. One mistake, and it can be over.”
That is the danger the Bronze Bomber brings. He is perhaps the hardest puncher in the history of the heavyweight division, and when he connects properly, the fight can be over in an instant. Fury did a fine job of limiting his chances in their rematch fight, but Wilder will still take some confidence from when he knocked Fury to the canvas in their first encounter back in December 2018.
Fury somehow managed to get back to his feet after what appeared to be a knockout blow, but Wilder knows that he if can force an opening he’ll have a chance to do some real damage.
Indeed, the pressure that will come with this fight could be the motivation Wilder needs. Should he lose again, his career will be in a very difficult spot.
It would be impossible to justify having a fourth crack at Fury, and so he’d have to build himself back up from the ground. A criticism often levelled at the 35-year-old is that he has not faced the highest calibre of opponents throughout his career, but now is the chance to really prove that he has the quality to defeat a boxer of Fury’s ilk.
The ‘Bronze Bomber’ shouldn’t be underestimated, but he’ll have his work cut out to defy the boxing betting tips and restore his career to its former glory. But with a right hook as strong as Wilder’s, you just never know what could happen.
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