Tyson Fury heralds a new golden era for heavyweight boxing

Ever since my dad used to let me stay up late to watch boxing with him, even at a young age it fascinated and excited me. I’ve great memories of watching the drama unfold with my old man and would have loved to hear what he made of some of the blockbuster fights of the last few years. I fell in love with the sport during the last great heavyweight era so its resurgence has been a real thrill.

The return of big personalities, big punchers, competitiveness and exciting fights has put the division back into the spotlight where it belongs. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua put the Klitschko era to bed and Deontay Wilder thrilled the crowds with devastating knockout after knockout. The Wilder-Fury-Joshua triangle mirrors the clash of titans from previous eras and for years boxing fans have debated who would end up on top.

On Saturday evening in Las Vegas, the giants of the last golden age of heavyweights – Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe- all watched at ringside as Tyson Fury proved himself to be the number one fighter of the new golden era of heavyweight boxing. After the surprisingly brutal display of power and dominance over Deontay Wilder I doubt there is anyone who can knock him off his perch.

In every discussion I had about this match in the build-up, my (wrong) assessment was the same. I thought Fury the better boxer and was in awe of his fortitude in getting up after squarely receiving Wilder’s signature punch and falling flat out on the canvas in their first encounter in 2018. Despite my amazement, I didn’t think Fury could knock him out and feared that it would be impossible for him to avoid getting caught again within twelve rounds. How could we be sure he’d get up this time?

This is one of those few instances where I have been delighted to be proven so very wrong. I had wondered if Fury’s improved match fitness would make the difference, but I was not expecting what transpired. I watched mouth agape as the confidence drained from Wilder’s face, and the bewilderment turned to panic as he realised he had no alternative game plan.

To the astonishment of the world, the Gypsy King proved that he can really punch. Not only that, within the first two rounds he was hit by Wilder’s famous right hand – a punch that many fans hastily call the hardest in the history of the sport – and he took it and was largely unfazed. Fury had turned from man to machine, he had such single-minded determination that nothing was going to stop him.

By the third round, Wilder was already so battered, demoralised, confused and exhausted that there was never any chance that he’d be able to summon the energy and spirit to throw and effectively land his trademark right. He was spent. Fury imposed himself on Wilder within seconds and never let up. Moving forward, being aggressive with his hard, powerful jab and pummelling Wilder with perfectly timed, authoritative right hands.

As the life drained from Wilder, Fury bullied him all over the ring, leaning on him and draining him of his stamina and will. It has often been said that Wilder lacks technique, and it is true that he doesn’t possess great skill as a boxer. That has never mattered because he’s the king of the knockout. Being able to punch really hard is unsurprisingly rather a good asset in boxing. On Saturday though, this lack of technique came back to haunt him and Fury made Wilder look like a one trick pony. From the opening flurries of the first round, Wilder hadn’t the first clue what to do.

It was nearly seven rounds of Wilder clinging on for dear life. Fury put down his opponent in the third, bursting his ear drum as he did it. From then on Wilder was doomed and looked shattered and off balance. A stunning body shot knocked Wilder down again in the fifth, by which time Wilder’s legend was crumbling before the nearly 16,000 wide eyes in the MGM Grand garden Arena.

By the time Wilder’s trainer Mark Breland, a former world and Olympic champion, threw in the towel in the seventh, Wilder cut a pitiful and forlorn figure. The modern knockout King, the “The Hammer from Alabama” was bleeding from the mouth and ear. Wilder was furious with his corner, but Breland showed an admirable duty of care when his man was offering little fight in return.

In the aftermath Wilder said he’d have preferred to “go out on his shield”. Maybe after a few days he might reflect if he’d really have preferred to have the world see him flat out on his back unconscious, because that’s the only way the fight was going. This can be a brutal sport, and Breland should be respected for preserving its dignity before a one-sided fight became an ugly spectacle for the bloodthirsty. The “Bronze Bomber” was in a mess and was taken to hospital immediately after the fight.

When looking back to the past great eras of boxing, it is easy to be consumed with nostalgia. That nostalgia can make one take for granted the great sportsmen of boxing and memorable fights that have taken place in our own time. So, let’s not underestimate how remarkable a performance this was from Tyson Fury.

After being knocked down twice in the last fight and getting up from the canvas in the twelfth round, Fury decided to change tactics for this fight. This is always a risk and the history of the sport is littered with mistakes in hastily altered strategies. The tactical change made by his new coaches Sugarhill Steward and Andy Lee turned a heavier and stronger Fury into an absolute beast. “They said I couldn’t punch,” sneered Fury after the fight, well no one will ever say that again now.

As the promoter Bob Arum said: “The best way to beat Deontay Wilder was to jump on him, hurt him early and keep hurting him. That was the strategy and it worked.”

Tyson Fury is the complete heavyweight champion. He has great skill and technique along with remarkable movement and agility. He is experienced and intelligent, his physique is imposing, and he boasts tactical nous and, as we now know, serious power. The audacity of this performance was remarkable, the ring craft something that will be discussed for decades. He comprehensively beat a man who has viciously knocked out 41 of his opponents and he did it in Las Vegas far from home.

The Wilder-Fury-Joshua triangle looks less compelling now that Wilder has been so comprehensively beaten. Nonetheless, everyone will now be anticipating a showdown between Fury and Anthony Joshua. It’s an exciting prospect for sure, but I can only see one ending.

Anthony Joshua is a great fighter who has proven he can learn, adapt, dig deep and fight through adversity and come back. He’s a great character with a mean streak, real ability and serious punching power. But can he take a flurry of heavy punches from Tyson Fury? I don’t think so, his suspect chin will show.

It’s time to stop underestimating Fury and listen to what he says, because he tells us what he’s going to do and then he does it. Simple as. He has previously dismissed Joshua as a bodybuilder and questioned him as a fighter. All that can stop him now is complacency or his inner demons. I can see him reigning for a long time, until age sets in, and a new kid on the block comes along and the cycle continues.

Wilder has 30 days to demand a rematch, but he would be wise to retreat, regroup and work out if he has it in him to adapt to the new challenge. Fury should pursue Joshua aggressively to prevent a rolling delay because in his current form he should be very confident of knocking him out. I’m a big fan of Anthony Joshua, but after he fell to Andy Ruiz’s flurries, he must feel trepidatious after seeing Fury break Wilder’s body and soul.

Then again, anything can happen. Joshua holds the IBF, WBA and WBO belts for a reason and a boxer’s form can dip due to all kinds of factors, both professional and personal. We’ll be speculating about this until the final bell of their inevitable showdown. For now, the Gyspy King is on top of the world. Ultimately, the real winner is boxing and, specifically, British boxing.