Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury (left) and Wladimir Klitschko slug it out in Dusseldorf.

Sensing the titles slipping away, Klitschko threw everything he had in the final round in search for a knockout but ended up losing on all three of the judges’ scorecards, putting an end to his winning run that stretched back to 2004.

Manchester’s Fury, who dedicated his version of the Bette Midler ballad Wind Beneath My Wings to the Ukrainian during the weigh-in, will challenge 39-year-old Klitschko at the 50,000-capacity Esprit Arena.

Fury (25-0, 18 KO) didn’t do a lot offensively, but his constant movement and feinting gave Klitschko (64-4, 53 KO) fits all night, totally shutting down the long-dominant champion’s offensive output.

Klitschko-Fury isn’t the only title fight on the schedule Saturday.

Fury had protested that the ones sent to him were unsuitable, and hurt his thumb.

He added: “I’m grateful to him for giving me this chance and if I can be half the champion he is, I’ll be a happy man”.

Today’s fight is the first time the Ukrainian boxer has fought an opponent with a height, weight and reach advantage. “I had some challenging fights before that and then again with Haye”.

Tyson Fury’s world heavyweight title fight against Wladimir Klitschko will go ahead despite a row over the thickness of the ring’s canvas. “I think he knew too”. After some discussion over the gloves during Tuesday’s press conference between Fury’s manager Mick Hennessy and Klitschko’s manager Bernd Bonte, the Mancunian joked: “Why don’t we just settle this like (YouTube sensation) Ronny Pickering would?”

Fury, who has sometimes boxed as a switch-hitter in previous fights, boxed orthodox in the first round and appeared to have the better of the opening, boxing in a conservative yet effective style and utilising his jab.

In the eleventh Fury was deducted a point for hitting in the back of the head, but he controlled the round with nasty blows to further damage a cut to Klitschko’s right eye, with one shot looking particularly damaging.

Fury, 27, will get the opportunity to show 100% of his arsenal in his rematch with Wladimir next year, because Wladimir’s brother Vitali Klitschko has already said there will be a rematch between Wladimir and Fury. “We’ve worked so hard for this”.