Event of the Day: Deontay Wilder versus Tyson Fury
Our event of the day is the WBC heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Deontay Wilder, the Bronze Bomber, faces a challenge for his WBC heavyweight belt from Tyson Fury, the former multi-belt heavyweight champion, known as the Gypsy King. Both men are undefeated and have waited years for this match. Be sure that you don’t miss a fight that is undoubtedly going to go down in history. The Brawl in Montreal. The Rumble in the Jungle. The Thriller in Manila. Wilder versus Fury. Tonight’s fight, which has been two and a half years in the making, is already set to take a place amongst the greatest boxing matches in history. Deontay Wilder, WBC heavyweight champion, will enter the ring undefeated in 40 matches, 39 of them won by KO. He has defended his title seven times and is confident that he will do it an eighth. It was after his third title defence, a brutal KO victory over Arthur Szpilka, that tonight’s fight first took shape. As medical professionals attended to an unconscious Szpilka, Tyson Fury charged the ring, leading to a tense verbal confrontation between him and Wilder.
The stage seemed set for the two to clash for the WBC belt, until Fury’s fall from grace in late 2016. Fury would not return to the ring until late 2017, by which time Wilder had defended his title thrice more. With Fury gone, Wilder turned his attention to Anthony Joshua, the young compatriot of Fury who had been quietly collecting titles and making a name for himself. The fierce war of words came to nothing, but by the time that negotiations between Wilder and Joshua ended, Tyson Fury was back and ready to fight. In June of 2018, Fury called Wilder out on social media and their dormant rivalry was ignited once again. There was another verbal confrontation inside the ring, this time following a victory for Fury, the second of his post-hiatus comeback. The two camps came together and the fight was arranged by September. Despite his break from the sport, Fury is undefeated in his 10-year career, boasting a record of 27-0. The fight is going to be historic - for Fury, it’s an opportunity to show the world that he’s well and truly back. For Wilder, it’s a chance for another title defence, with the added bonus of removing a thorn that’s been in his side for two and a half years. The two nearly came to blows during the weigh-in so be sure you don’t miss what is set to be a fight that few will forget.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the NBA, where the Detroit Pistons hosts the Golden State Warriors at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The Pistons are enjoying a successful season so far. Blake Griffin is having a breakout season and propelling the team towards a successful playoff run if their momentum continues. Meanwhile, the Warriors will see the return of Steph Curry from injury, as well as the easing of tensions between Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. These issues have hampered the reigning champions as of late, meaning that they are not the challenge they were at the start of the season. However, the Warriors look to be recovering so expect a close game in Detroit tonight. Elsewhere, in the Premier League, Manchester City play Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium. In the NHL, the Florida Panthers host in-state rivals the Tampa Bay Lightning. In NCAA Football, the SEC Championship game takes place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. 1st ranked Alabama face 4th ranked Georgia for the title of ‘SEC Champion’. In Premiership Rugby, Saracens host Wasps at Allianz Park.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by Deontay Wilder; Tyson Fury