Boxing Beat: Tyson Fury Becomes Heavyweight Champion

The win gave Fury the WBA, WBO and IBF titles.

The fight became a little scrappier in the 11th round, with referee Tony Weeks deducting a point from Fury, after he punched Wlad in the back of the head. There were few exchanges in the final round with each trying to get ahead on points. The pace of the fight has slowed right down with both fighters beginning to tire.

Fury does not have Klitschko’s technical skill, however, or his resume.

Kell Brook, the IBF welterweight champion, tweeted: “Just heard, WOW congratulations to @Tyson_Fury I had kilt to win I hold my hands up! well done unbelievable for British boxing!” There’s no one that can compete with Wilder right now in terms of heavyweight champions. I found him quite awkward to land clean on, as he did me.

Manchester’s Fury, 27, pulled off one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history, outpointing Klitschko and bringing his nine-year reign to an end.

When Fury’s camp complained, the champion’s fists were re-strapped which briefly delayed the start of the fight. They therefore demanded the champion cut them off and start again, delaying the start. Otherwise, Fury will beat him like a gong the second time around.

Fury has switched up to southpaw. Just how much youth played a factor in this fight is up for anybody, including the fighters, to speculate. Fury clipped Klitshcko in the middle stages of the round with a straight left, which looked to have the defending champion wobbled.

Fury’s choice of song – I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith – probably could not have been cheesier, but his delivery was a unusual mixture of touching and unbearable. The challenger has got the better of the exchanges with some of his jabs finding its mark. I don’t think Wladimir chose not to throw punches because he was afraid.

The 39-year-old Klitschko, whose record is 64 wins with 53 knockouts from 67 fights, weighed in at 111.5 kilos (246 pounds) on Friday, giving Fury a slight advantage at 112 kilograms (247 pounds).

That would be, quite easily, Tyson Fury serenading his wife in the ring after the fight.