Out of the frying pan and into the fire
When you hear two boxing fans converse, you can’t help but listen in awe. To any bystander, it’s like listening to two wine connoisseurs dissecting their wine with a fine toothcomb. Predicting to the tenth degree on which fighter will win, by what round and in what fashion. But when we encounter a matchup of this magnitude between two powerhouses of the sport, very few can put their mortgage on the line to predict a winner. With both fighters ranked in top five of world boxing, and with such a distinction in their characteristics, never before have we seen so many variances in opinions. And if you look at their background; pedigree, physical stature and style, you can begin to empathize with the conundrum that obstructs our quest for certainty. In an attempt to demystify our windshield, we take a look at each fighter objectively and assess their chances in the quest for glory.
Deontay Wilder
Strengths
Power: The majority of fighting enthusiasts know the hidden mantra that stipulates if a fight lasts the full twelve rounds then it’s not true a heavy weight contest. Therefore, the need for power is just as crucial in this division as knowing how to breath. And for Deontay, he exceeds this prerequisite with flying colours. His explosive force generates more than enough clout in his right hand to knock out the toughest chins in the sport. Despite his deficiency in other areas of his tool kit, to have such a powerful weapon in his repertoire has enabled him to navigate his way to victory against trickier opposition.
Weakness
Technique: Armed with such a devastating right hand to deploy at his disposable, many experts still continue to question his finesse. And nothing raises concerns more than the statistics. In his last fight with Artur Szpilka, Deontay threw 250 punches with an accuracy of 30%. He also achieved the same statistics against Bermane Stiverne. Many argue that the reason for this outcome is because he throws his punches in such wild way that could be easily be compared to watching a windmill scoop up and throw water. His lack of accuracy would not only make it very easy for Tyson to outpoint on the score cards, but succumb Deontay to early fatigue.
Discipline: Deontay’s lack of technique is a by-product from his impatience. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to see wilders eagerness to entertain the fans by drop his opponents onto the canvas quickly. However, his eagerness often clouds his judgement to anticipating when to pounce. This often results in his inability to maintain good technical discipline. As a result, he becomes exposed to plenty of counter punches. Fortunately for wilder, this hasn’t been a major problem due to lack of quality from his previous thirty-five opponents. Fortunately, due to the incredible force behind his power shots, Deontay has managed to knock out thirty-five of his thirty-six opponents with little to no accuracy while on the back foot. But in this fight against a highly conditioned and evasive 6ft 9 unified British world champion, can he afford to neglect his short comings? Only time will tell but one thing is for sure, Deontay is now deep waters and will have to improve his technique to keep himself afloat.
Tyson Fury
Strengths
Agility: To be a heavyweight fighter, sixteen stone is the absolute minimum. So with all that weight on them, you can understand the difficulty fighters face when attempting to glide around the ring without being hit. If you look at the division across all governing bodies, it’s very difficult to find three elite fighters with this unique ability. Which is why, Tyson fury is number one in the world. His movement around the ring and stance variation against Klitschko nullified the division King pin down to complete novice. It was a masterclass in evasive manoeuvring that easily ranks closely with the movement of welterweight legend Floyd Mayweather. It will be a significant advantage to help evade the reckless punches of Deontay wilder.
Height and Range: Standing in at six foot nine, Fury’s colossal structure is the first strength that immediately intimidates any fighter. And with height comes range that can put Deontay wilder at a slight disadvantage as he stands at six foot seven, two inches shorter than Fury. The height difference will immediately ask a few of questions at wilder. Would he have to exert more energy to get inside? Or will he need to be meticulous in his shot selection? In addition, Tyson’s height& range advantage could also grant him the ability to dictate proceedings if he so chooses.
Psychology: Another skill that sometimes goes overlooked is the ability to out physic your opponent. Unlike other fighters, for Tyson’s bell rings when the contract is signed, not in the ring just before the physical battle. His war of words is carefully calculated to the same level as his tactics in the ring. His profanity, controversial political views, insults and pantomime theatrics only account for 30% of the tools he deploys in psychological warfare. Many people think his behaviour is derogatory and stupid, but to those with an untrained eye, it’s another masterclass display in successfully wearing down the mental robustness of his opponent. Make no mistake, wilders temperament will be truly tested to the limit.
Weakness
Power: For all the strengths for Tyson fury, what’s I find most intriguing is that out of all the heavy hitters at the pinnacle of the heavyweight boxing, Tyson fury is the only boxer who lacks heavy knock-out punching power. For this reason, Tyson’s deficiency can provide Deontay wilder with an opportunity to advance into more adverse positions and throw more accurate and explosive power punches. This can be achieved with the comfort of knowing that a counter knockout punch is less likely to be received. But can Deontay keep his composure long enough to capitalize?
To conclude, it would be safe to recognize the difficulty in predicting a winner between these special fighters. Both boxers have the qualities to decide a favourable outcome. However, in my opinion, Tyson edges this battle as it will be won in the mind rather than in the ring. But rest assured, Tyson fury vs Deontay wilder will provide boxing fans to a spectacle of the highest magnitude; where we will see the very best in psychology, comradery, agility, power and unpredictability.
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