World Heavyweight Clash: Deontay Wilder v Tyson Fury

Who is Deontay Wilder?

Wilder, 32, was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and had a tough upbringing. The ‘Bronze Bomber’ picked up boxing relatively late, as a 20-year-old, when he sought to provide support for his daughter who was born with spina bifida – a spinal cord injury. He now has four children and is expecting a fifth later this year.  Despite his amateur career only beginning in 2005, Wilder won bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympics while representing the US. He turned professional later that year as a 23-year-old and after a spectacular rise through the professional ranks, became WBC world champion in 2015. Fury’s younger brother Marcellos Wilder also competes as a professional boxer. 

Who is Tyson Fury?

The self-proclaimed ‘Gypsy King’, Fury is a fighter proud of his Irish traveller heritage. He follows a long line of family fighting, with his dad John Fury competing as a bare-knuckle boxer in the 1980s, his cousin Andy Lee a former WBO middleweight champion, and another cousin Hughie Fury the current British heavyweight champion. 

Despite growing to his now mammoth stature of 6ft 9, Fury tipped the scales at only 1lb when he was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, after being three months premature. 
The now 30-year-old was named after famous American heavyweight Mike Tyson, and went on to represent both England and Ireland in an amateur career that spanned 35 fights. Aged 20, Fury turned professional in 2008, remaining unbeaten to eventually earn his shot at Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, where he recorded one of the most unexpected triumphs in British boxing history, claiming a points victory to win the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO, Ring and lineal heavyweight titles. 

Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury, ln a world heavyweight clash. Both fighters go into the fight unbeaten in their combined 67 professional bouts in a fight expected to be watched by millions across the US and the world.

Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles  
Date: Saturday, 1 December (local)  
Time: From 04:00 GMT on Sunday, 2 December

Fight records

Wilder:
40 fights, 40 wins (39 by KO)

Fury: 
27 fights, 27 wins (19 by KO).
 

Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury

Despite the fight being announced in mid-August, it took until the end of September for confirmation of the host venue, with Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Convention Centre the other possibility.
Wilder has yet to feature at the Staples Center during his 40-fight career, while Fury’s only previous appearance across the pond came at Madison Square Garden, New York City, where he defeated American Steve Cunningham in 2013.

Deontay Wilder believes that by beating Luis Ortiz he has already had the best possible preparation for Tyson Fury.
The WBC heavyweight champion defends his title against Fury on Saturday at Los Angeles' Staples Center in what is widely considered his most difficult challenge.

Those that believe Fury will win do so because of his variety and boxing IQ, but by overcoming Cuba's Ortiz - a fighter Wilder believes possesses similar strengths - the American insists he learnt how to win against an undefeated opponent who outfoxed even the great Wladimir Klitschko.