THE biggest sporting event this weekend will no doubt be the rematch between arguably the two best heavyweights in the world American Deontay Wilder and Briton Tyson Fury.
In their first meeting in December 2018, Wilder and Fury put on a memorable show at Staples Center, with Fury surviving a brutal right hand in the 12th round to earn a split-decision draw.
In 73 fights combined, the pair have 61 knockouts between them and neither fighter has lost, with the only draw on either of their records coming against each other in their first match-up.
Wilder, 34, will hope to break Muhammad Ali’s record of 10 consecutive heavyweight title defenses when he faces the 31-year-old, 6-foot-9-inches and charismatic Fury at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada.
The fight between Fury and Wilder has parallels to ‘Super Fight II’ between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in January 1974.
Ali lost the first match between the pair in 1971 on points and was knocked down in the last round not long after returning to the ring following a three-and-a-half-year absence.
Despite losing the first fight, Ali came back to win the second and third fights in New York and Manila respectively.
Lewis backs Wilder
Lennox Lewis is giving WBC heavyweight champion Wilder a slight edge against Tyson Fury in the early Sunday morning fight.
Another classic heavyweight rivalry the Wilder-Fury clash also shares parallels with is the one between Evander Holyfield and Lewis, who fought each other twice in 1999. The first fight ended in a draw but many believed Lewis won.
Eight months after their draw in New York, Lewis deservedly beat Holyfield on point in Vegas to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world – the last man to hold that title to this day.
Former unified heavyweight world champion Lewis was impressed with the way Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs) knocked out his last two opponents Luis Ortiz and Dominic Breazeale with his dangerous right hands.
In contrast to Wilder’s destructive recent performances, Fury struggled in beating his last opponent Otto Wallin, and looked “sloppy” in the fight, Lewis noted. Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) got the win, but he looked unremarkable and was cut badly over his right eye which required 46 stitches.