A closer look at Deontay Wilder ahead of Tyson Fury showdown
The two heavyweights are slated to fight later this year.
Tyson Fury will bid to win back a portion of the world heavyweight crown in his upcoming super-fight against Deontay Wilder.
WBC champion Wilder had been slated for a unification bout with Anthony Joshua but when negotiations broke down Fury was the obvious replacement.
Here Press Association Sport takes a closer look at the Alabama fighter who is determined to prove he is the best in the business.
Background
Style
As a fighter, Wilder somewhat lives up to his name. He is extremely confident in his knockout ability, as he should be given all but one of his 40 career victories have come inside the distance. But his eagerness to finish his job could also prove to be his downfall. In his last fight in April, he was heavily rocked by challenger Luis Ortiz and seemed on the verge of defeat before rallying to finish the job in round 10.
Biggest wins
Personal
Wilder’s brash and confident personality hides a softer side. He heads a loud entourage known as the ‘Bomb Squad’ and has appeared on the reality TV series ‘WAGS Atlanta’ with his girlfriend Telli Swift. However, Wilder has also spoken out about how he was convinced to take up boxing in order to support his daughter Naieya, following her diagnosis of spina bifida.
Why Fury?
A unification bout between Wilder and Anthony Joshua had seemed to be the only heavyweight fight in town. But after negotiations escalated into acrimony, Wilder turned instead to Fury. By sidelining the holder of the other major belts, the winner of reigning WBC champion Wilder and so-called lineal holder Fury will be able to stake just as loud a claim to the genuine crown.
