Tyson Fury knocks out Deontay Wilder to retain world heavyweight title
Tyson Fury finally demolished Deontay Wilder in the 11th round after dragging himself off the canvas in an epic world heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas.
The British heavyweight star was on the brink of defeat when he was floored twice in the fourth round, but Fury staged a sensational recovery and dropped Wilder in the 10th before inflicting a crushing knockout to retain his WBC belt.
Wilder had been blasted to the canvas in the third round, but the American nearly pulled off a stunning fightback in the fourth, before Fury quickly regained command and eventually broke the resistance of his exhausted challenger.
In a tense opening round, Wilder tried to enforce his aggressive tactics as he forced Fury onto the back foot with stinging body shots and clubbing right hands.
But Fury began to find the range with his hurtful straight right hand in the second, then unloaded it perfectly in the third to daze Wilder, who was cuffed to the canvas.
With Wilder badly hurt, Fury went for the finish in the fourth, but he wilted to the canvas after a huge right hand from the Alabama man.
Fury then staggered to the floor again following an exchange at close quarters and the bell halted Wilder’s furious assault.
Wilder swung his right hand with savage intent in the fifth, but Fury somehow stood firm, and fired back with a straight right in the sixth.
A punishing battle was taking its toll on Wilder, who staggered wearily in the seventh after crunching body shots, and he was held up by the ropes after a brutal flurry from Fury in the eighth.
Wilder still showed signs of menace, unloading a jolting uppercut in the ninth, but the exhausted challenger was being gradually pounded into submission.
A right hand from Fury sent Wilder crumpling to the canvas in the 10th, and still he threw back, briefly buzzing the Brit with crude shots.
But Fury finally concluded their saga in the 11th as a huge right hand sent Wilder crashing spectacularly to the canvas.