Deontay Wilder shared head-scratching analysis of his rematch loss to Tyson Fury.
The heavyweight rematch between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury in 2020 was one of the biggest fights in boxing history. After the two heavyweights fought to a split draw in their first clash in 2018, Wilder and Fury were looking to bring finality to their rivalry.
The buildup to the Wilder vs. Fury rematch featured just about everything you could want in a boxing superfight. The two sides traded barbs for months during a press tour, and previous respect for one another quickly dissipated as fight night drew closer.
When it was time for Wilder and Fury to face off in the ring, the fight delivered in a big way. But boxing fans may remember what happened before and after the fight more than what happened during the matchup.
Deontay Wilder blamed eccentric ring walk costume for Tyson Fury knockout loss
As Fury and Wilder made their ring walks at MGM Grand Garden Arena, both fighters donned unique costumes in front of a raucous crowd. Wilder’s elaborate outfit featuring a creepy mask, body armor, and 40 pounds of weight drew the most attention from viewers and spectators.
When it was time to fight, Fury put on a dominant performance against Wilder. Despite suffering from an early knockdown, Fury rallied in the mid rounds to dismantle Wilder and force the latter’s corner to throw in the towel and stop the fight.
Fury won the rematch by TKO and cemented himself as the biggest star in heavyweight boxing. It was a stunning setback for Wilder as he suffered the first defeat of his professional boxing career.
In the days after the event, Wilder blamed his pre-fight costume, and its designers, for his poor showing in the ring.
“My last couple of outfits, they had no weight on it. It was more Styrofoam. This time around, we added different heavy things. The skulls, the rhinestones that was on there,” Wilder told BoxingScene.com.
“There was a lot of things that were designed on there that made it very, very, very heavy. You know, even with the mask, it had battery packs in the mask. So, it was quite a bit, you know, and I’m definitely gonna change that up. That’s something that I’ll never do again.”
Wilder said his legs were ‘fully gone’ by Round 3, when Fury earned a shocking knockdown against the ferocious knockout artist. Wilder’s excuses drew ire from fans, experts, and pundits in the months after the event.
Wilder would get his chance at revenge against Fury in their 2021 trilogy, but despite flooring Fury with an early knockdown, Fury finished the fight in brutal fashion by 11th-round knockout. The result concluded one of the heavyweight division’s biggest rivalries at a time in which the division was lacking top-tier star power.
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Don’t expect Deontay Wilder to don a costume for Tyrrell Herndon clash
After losses in four of his last five fights, Wilder will look to get back on track in his career when he faces Tyrrell Herndon (24-5) on June 27th in Wichita, Kansas. The fight could potentially open the door for Wilder to face one of the heavyweight division’s top stars, including the likes of Anthony Joshua and a possible rematch with Zhilei Zhang.
Fury retired following a second-straight loss to Oleksandr Usyk earlier this year. Despite calls for Fury to return for a clash with Joshua, the UK superstar doubled down on his retirement in a recent social media statement.
Wilder and Fury’s careers will forever be linked for their three legendary clashes in the ring. But for Wilder, his head-scratching post-fight excuses after the second chapter of his rivalry with Fury continues to haunt his legacy.