Many thought that the story after Saturday’s bout between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury would be a unification bout with Anthony Joshua, but instead all the talk is about a rematch. Wilder and Fury went a full 12 rounds for the lineal and WBC heavyweight titles, and the fight ended in a split draw.
Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder both say they’re up for a rematch after controversial draw
Following their amazing fight and controversial split draw, both boxers expressed their desire for a rematch. It’s unclear where Anthony Joshua fits in all this.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
One judge had it 115-111 Wilder, which is an obscene card given that, if anything, Fury definitely won the most rounds. Wilder, though, put together a pair of knockdowns, including a huge one in the final round, and may have closed the gap enough by the end of it to make a draw or even a close Wilder win seem reasonable.
But the 114-110 Fury card and the 113-113 card that wound up being a draw were both much more in line with what actually happened in the ring on Saturday. (Shockingly, the Fury card was actually added incorrectly and should have been 114-112 Fury. It wouldn’t have changed the outcome, but a mistake like that in a fight this big ... )Either way, it was still a great bout. Both fighters were asked about a rematch after the fact and both were open to it.
“I don’t know if it’ll be my next fight,” Wilder said, “I’d love for it, let’s get back into it. I think it was a great fight and we gotta do it again.”
Wilder was asked if the fight should be in America or the UK, and he responded “Whatever makes the most money.”
Fury hinted that there could be a long gap between bouts, but also confirmed he’s on for a rematch.
“I’ve been away from my family for 10 weeks,” Fury said. “I got four kids and one on the way, and I want to spend time with my family. 100 percent, we’ll do the rematch. Go away, recalculate and get together for it.”
“The world knows the truth,” Fury said, “I won the fight.”
Fury also called out Joshua, making chicken sounds and asking “Where are you, AJ?” It’s fairly clear that both fighters would be open to facing Joshua at this point, but a rematch seems the most likely option.
Joshua is the current WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion, lacking only the lineal and WBC belts. There was plenty of talk of him fighting Wilder prior to the Fury fight being made, but their meeting was delayed when Joshua was forced to face Alexander Povetkin, a mandatory challenger who lasted seven rounds before Joshua scored the knockout on Sept. 22.
Both Fury and Wilder expressed a desire to unify the heavyweight straps with a bout against Joshua prior to their own meeting on Saturday, and both suggested that Joshua didn’t want a piece of either of them. Joshua himself has said that he hoped Wilder would be victorious in Los Angeles.
“I need Wilder to win,” Joshua said prior to Saturday’s card. “It gives me more of an opportunity to fight him. As a champion, if he retains his belt, that’s the fight that people have been yearning for, so hopefully 2019 is going to be a big year for me.”
Joshua went on to say that if Fury won, Wilder would get a rematch, which would “mess up the plans a bit.” That said, Joshua predicted that Wilder would win and that he would be facing him at some point in 2019.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has booked Wembley Stadium for an April 13 bout, though to this point, no official opponent has been announced. With Wilder and Fury ending in a draw, that complicates things a bit.
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