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In a bout to determine the best heavyweight fighter in the world today, WBC titleholder Deontay Wilder and lineal champion Tyson Fury will collide later tonight (Sat., Feb. 22, 2020) live on ESPN+ PPV from inside MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Many are considering this the best boxing matchup of the year seeing as the two heavyweight stars battled it out to a split draw just 15 months ago.
Leading into the rematch there are many questions that will be answered. We will find out if Wilder can discover another window of opportunity to land his patented right hand and finish the job he nearly ended in the first fight. We’ll also find out if Fury can utilize his size and movement to avoid Wilder’s most vicious power punches and wear the champion down for some later-round warfare.
For Fury, one advantage he can bring into his rematch with Wilder is a bigger body capable of inflicting more damage, which is why the towering Englishman weighed in at whopping 273 pounds for yesterday’s weigh ins (video replay HERE). If Wilder is looking for the knockout finish in this heavyweight title fight then “Gypsy King” is going to have his hand in the pie as well.
“I’ve been holding that weight for the last three months in training camp,” Fury told ESPN. “I’ve been sparring every day with it, training every day, so weight is not a problem — 273 pounds of pure British beef. It’s no secret. I’m looking for a knockout of Deontay Wilder.”
Fury, who isn’t known for his knockout power, has only two finishes in his last six fights. So even though he has bulked up for his reboot with “Bronze Bomber” it’s safe to say Fury will have to fight outside of his comfort zone to score a knockout finish.
Wilder, on the other hand, throws heavy hands like he breathes air. The 34-year-old champion will be looking for his 11th-straight title defense this weekend in Sin City and has packed on some of his own muscle to ensure success against the much heavier Fury.
“At the end of the day, we’re heavyweights, so it really doesn’t matter about the weight,” said Wilder, who weighed in nearly 20 pounds heavier than his fist bout with Fury at a career-high 231 pounds. “As you can see throughout my whole career, I’ve been underweight. I probably outweighed my opponent maybe four times in my career. So I really don’t care about weight. This just indicates that I’m in a better state and a better mind than the last time, and I’ve come for the pain.”
Wilder, who is coming off back-to-back knockout victories over Luis Ortiz and Dominic Breazeale, believes he’ll ultimately be the quicker and more adaptable fighter when he locks horns with Fury for the second time.
”I’m not worried about that. I’ve always had to fight bigger guys,” Wilder said of Fury’s weight gain. “That’s only going to slow him down. Holding the weight on me? I’m going to rock with it, swing with it, rock with it. I’m not worried about his weight. All I’m telling him is don’t blink. He’s nervous. Nervous energy, as always. That’s why he changed his camp up.”
What do you think, Maniacs? Will Fury’s added weight play a factory into the outcome of this fight? Will Wilder get his own knockout finish after packing on nearly 20 pounds?
Let’s hear it!
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE coverage of the Wilder-Fury main event this weekend, which caps off a four-fight ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV) event that starts at 9 p.m. ET.