Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury: What time is tonight’s heavyweight fight + All you need to know
What is it?
Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury, WBC American champion vs British lineal champion, in 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.
When is it?
It’s on Saturday, December 1, 2018 (but Sunday, December 2 in the UK). Not long to wait.
Where is it?
Staples Center (Los Angeles).
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, lifting himself off the canvas in arguably his most exciting fight yet to record a seventh round KO.
In addition to the NHL’s LA Kings, the 21,000-capacity multi-purpose arena is home to the NBA’s LA Lakers and LA Clippers, and has previously hosted boxing hall of famers such as Oscar De La Hoya, Vitali Klitschko and Lennox Lewis.
What TV channel will it be on?
In the UK, the fight will be aired live on BT Sport Box Office, which is available across BT, Sky and Virgin Media. Paying viewers will be able to watch the fight on the BT Sport website.
In the US, Showtime will be broadcasting the event, likewise on their pay-per-view platform.
You can find out more about how to watch here.
What time is the fight likely to start?
As always, these big fights are at the mercy of the undercard and how long the build-up takes. But, in the UK, we expect it to begin at 5am GMT on Sunday, December 2.
For whose watching in the United States, it will be on Saturday, 9pm local time or midnight EST.
What is the latest news?
Deontay Wilder has warned Tyson Fury he is gravely mistaken if he believes his tension at Wednesday’s press conference means he is running scared.
Wilder lost his composure while the smiling, relaxed Fury spoke over him at the final press conference for Saturday’s fight at Los Angeles’ Staples Center, leading to the two fighters and their entourages having to be separated after a heated confrontation.
To the neutral observer, the WBC heavyweight champion cut an unsettled figure, and the 30-year-old Fury departed convinced he had succeeded in unnerving his opponent, even insisting Wilder had deliberately attempted to jeopardise their fight.
Wilder had, regardless, also been similarly angry before one of his finest victories, over Bermane Stiverne, and he said: “If Fury’s team think all that stuff was a sign of weakness then I cannot wait to show them strength on Saturday. They know it was not weakness; they just needed something to say.
“I’m not afraid to lose my unbeaten record. We all want to stay undefeated but I do not dwell on it. I can lose and comeback. Look at (Muhammad) Ali and others who lost and came back.
“People want to see you lose to see how you come back. People want to see you start back at the ground and rebuild. People don’t like winners, they get tired of them. When you are confident and bold people want to see you lose; I know people want to see me lose.
“Do not misconstrue my mindset; this is not for the cameras, this is real, I could not care less.
“For 10 years I have been doing this so why should I care now? I have a job on Saturday night and I am great at it. I cannot wait to provide my service.
“My mindset is like no other. I was ready two weeks ago, I didn’t even need this. I beat (Luis) Ortiz after the worst camp of my life.”
Deontay Wilder defeats Ortiz in March CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
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. Wilder’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 in 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 9in, 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.
Since the highest point of his career, Fury has struggled with personal and mental health problems, courting controversy by failing a drugs test; having his titles stripped and boxing licence revoked; openly confessing his use of cocaine to deal with depression; and making ill-advised remarks around issues of abortion, transgender and women’s rights.
In 2018, Fury is now on the comeback trail, with his two return fights coming in victories against relatively lowly opposition of Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta.
Fight records
Wilder:
40 fights, 40 wins (39 by KO).
One criticism levelled at Wilder throughout his career is the relatively mediocre opposition he’s faced to get the top – Bermane Stiverne and Luiz Ortiz representing his sternest tests yet. British fans will also remember the Bronze Bomber’s spectacular one-minute knockout of Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison in 2013, which ended the heavyweight’s career.
Fury:
27 fights, 27 wins (19 by KO).
Fury boasts arguably the more impressive CV, with scalps of Kevin Johnson, Dereck Chisora and of course Wladimir Klitschko to his name. His rise to the top of boxing’s ranks has taken him to Ireland, Canada, the US and Germany.
How do their styles match up?
What has been said?
Fury:
“Deontay Wilder: massive puncher. Me: skillful boxer. It’s going to be an epic night. This is a legacy fight.
“If I can come back from mental health problems and [contemplating] suicide, I can withstand anything.
“Deontay Wilder doesn’t possess anything I’m scared of. Punches just bounce off me, they don’t do anything. I’m a powerful man.
“There isn’t a man born from his mother that Tyson Fury is afraid of, and especially not a man who wears pigtails every day. I don’t fear anything about him.”
Wilder:
“This fight means everything to the heavyweight division. This division was once in a dark place… We’ve brought the sport back to life.
“When we’re put in a room together you can feel the energy, to the point where you need security. People feel the intensity, it’s a huge fight.
“It’s important to establish dominance. I’m the best, the baddest man on the planet.
