Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury 2: Expert Tips and Preview

Introduction

The first of what is likely to be several major heavyweight bouts in 2020, this weekend features a doozy of a rematch between longtime rivals Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. The two dominant heavyweight champions find themselves at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, squaring off again and looking to put away the controversy of their first bout fifteen short months ago.

Both Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder are names synonymous with boxing’s heavyweight division, as both men have circled each other while fending off the majority of other contenders for several years now. The two first faced off with each other at the end of 2018 and in typical fashion for both men, the bout served as a great source of entertainment and drama.

Over the course of 12 long rounds, Fury and Wilder went tit-for-tat with each other, trading blows and trading rounds on the judges’ scorecards as the final decision of a split draw ultimately rang through to culminate the contest. Perhaps the most memorable moments of the fight came in the second half of the contest, as Fury, likely winning the majority of the middle rounds, hit the deck not only in the 9th round but also infamously in the 12th and final frame, as well.

With a historic shot of Fury hitting the canvas seemingly knocked out cold – yet rising to his feet before the 10 count was concluded – the final round and the inconclusive, and often debated, winnerless decision was as dramatic a conclusion as could be expected from such prolific heavyweight kingpins. Now, both men have an opportunity to put the controversy to rest with a seemingly final showdown to determine the true owner of the heavyweight division.

Leading into the fight

In the time leading up to their rematch, both Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury have furthered their legacies and stayed busy by dispatching of fearless contenders en route to finding one another yet again.

Wilder fought twice, predictably demolishing Dominic Breazeale before moving onto his most recent outing – another stoppage win over yet another old rival in Luis Ortiz. Although closely contested for the majority of the bout, a more patient Wilder dropped many rounds against the technical Cuban, trailing on all three of the judges’ scorecards. Although he took some time to find a home for his devastating punching power, Wilder did ultimately find the mark in the 7th round with a simple but crushing right hand that Ortiz could not withstand.

Tyson Fury, although also wholly successful, found his own share of adversity in his recent “stay-busy” bouts. Much like Wilder, the United Kingdom native easily steamrolled an unsung foe in Tom Schwarz shortly after his first bout with Deontay Wilder before moving onto a tougher task in the unbeaten Otto Wallin.

The unheralded Swede Wallin proved to be a stiffer test for Fury than initially expected, as the 11.0 underdog Wallin opened a dramatic cut over Fury’s right eye in the third round. With the cut being the result of a punch, the persistently bleeding wound nearly stole Fury’s own unbeaten record as he and Wallin scrapped for the remainder of the bout, going the full 12 round distance.

How will it be won?

Sharing more similarities to Wilder’s most recent outing, Fury did not look tremendous in his showing against Wallin, despite the victorious outcome. Tyson displayed both vulnerability and a penchant for being hurt, as he was visibly staggered in the final round by an exhausted and rather thoroughly outclassed Otto Wallin.

Now, the reason I focus more intensely on the fact that Fury struggled against Wallin than the similarly difficult skirmish Deontay Wilder had with Luis Ortiz is because I believe there is a large skill discrepancy between a fighter of Wallin’s quality and a consistent, impressive contender in Luis Ortiz.

As we all saw in their first showing, Deontay Wilder has both the length and timing necessary to not only land hard shots on Tyson Fury, but to seriously hurt the massive 205.74cm heavyweight, as well. While Wilder did not look incredible in his most recent bout against Ortiz, I believe what fight fans saw in that contest – more than anything – was a result of Wilder attempted to showcase and refine a more disciplined, measured approach to securing knockouts. Rather than forcing his infamously dubbed “windmill” techniques onto his opponents, he took the time to attempt lining up more precise, and equally impactful, power punches.

While Tyson Fury is well known for his impressive agility, excellent head movement, and general mobility inside the ring, I believe he is a fighter that will not match up better with Deontay Wilder in 2020 than he did in 2018. In fact, I believe quite the opposite.

In my opinion, Deontay has showcased improvements and a better understanding of his skill set and what he is capable of. His punching power will always be one of, if not the most devastating asset in the sport of boxing right now, and with a more thoughtful approach to his offense, we may see a Wilder with an even more dangerous mid-to-late impact in a bout than we had seen in the past.

Betting Strategy

No matter the outcome, I expect a dramatic affair and a showcase of some of the most impressive skill that the heavyweight division has to offer. With a bout against the third biggest name in the division, Anthony Joshua, looming for both men and a rivalry potentially being put to rest, fight fans will have no shortage of entertainment this weekend.

That being said, I firmly believe that Deontay Wilder is improving and that, combined with his persistently explosive punching power, will serve to net him another rousing victory. I feel that Tyson Fury is unlikely to have a better night ahead of him than he had 15 months ago, and when he inevitably absorbs some heavy shots from Wilder in the middle rounds of the contest, he will not so triumphantly rise to his feet this time around.

BACK – Wilder by KO, TKO or DQ