By Scott Gilfoid: The rematch between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury on February 22 will have the vacant Ring Magazine title on the line. Four years ago, Fury won the Ring title in beating champion Wladimir Klitschko by a 12 round unanimous decision on November 28, 2015 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Soon after, Fury fell apart mentally, and failed to defend the Ring belt, IBF, IBO, WBA & WBO heavyweight titles. They were all eventually stripped from him by those different organizations. Now four years later, Fury is being given a chance to recapture his Ring title.
In the last four years, Fury hasn’t done enough to fight for the Ring title in the eyes of a lot of boxing fans. The Gypsy King has padded his record with 4 soft jobs, and then come up empty against Deontay last year. I’m sorry but that’s just not good enough for Fury to be fighting for the vacant Ring Title in Gilfoid’s opinion. Unless Ring Magazine wants to lower their standards, they should hold off on having their title at stake for the Wilder-Fury 2 rematch.
Since Fury restarted his career in 2018, he’s beaten these heavyweights:
- Sefer Seferi
- Tom Schwarz
- Otto Wallin
- Francesco Pianeta
You hate to say it but those heavyweights lack the TALENT for Fury to be given a shot at the Ring Magazine title. Those are all record-padding level opponents that Fury has faced with those guys. The only good fighter Fury has fought since launching his comeback ni 2018 is Deontay, and he didn’t beat him.
Fury got a draw in a fight in which he should have been knocked out in the 12th. If Gilfoid was the one calling the shots with Ring Magazine, Fury wouldn’t make the grade to fight for that title.
Wilder and Fury fought to a 12 round draw last December. Getting a draw against Wilder shouldn’t be a boost to Fury’s credentials, because the fight was a tie, and a controversial one at that. Fury would have been stopped in the 12th if the referee had reacted the way other referees do when they see that a fighter has been knocked out cold.
Fury’s resume thin on talent
The lesser heavyweights that Fury has beaten since making his comeback in 2018 aren’t even close to being talented enough for him to be fighting for the Ring title, are they? Pianeta, Wallin, Schwarz and Seferi are basically bottom level fringe contender type fighters. You can argue that the only fighter of that bunch that is worthy of being ranked in the top 15 is Wallin. The other guys – Pianeta, Schwarz and Seferi – are 2nd tier level heavyweights at best, and that’s being kind.
Having the Ring Magazine title up for grabs in the Wilder-Fury fight is a questionable move by the organization, because IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. should be the one that Wilder is facing for the Ring Magazine belt instead of Fury.
Andy Ruiz Jr. left out of the equation to fight for Ring title
It appears that The Ring is putting more value on Fury’s ‘lineal heavyweight champion’ status than the IBF, WBA & WBO titles that Ruiz Jr. possesses. Those are actual belts that can be won and lost. The Ring title is one that is given based on a group of guys with the magazine that decide who should fight for their belt. It’s kind of like their ratings.
Unfortunately, it’s not a certainty the fight will take place on that date, because the lineal heavyweight champion Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) needs to make it through training camp without without reinjuring his right eye.
This is the eye that Fury needed 46 stitches for in his last fight against Otto Wallin on September 14 in Las Vegas. 5 months of healing will be cutting it awfully close for Fury’s cut, and it may not hold together during camp to allow him to face Wilder on the scheduled February 22 date.
Deontay Wilder: I am the hardest puncher in boxing history
“I think that’s what makes me unique,” said Wilder in talking about his punching power. “I think that’s what differentiates me from the rest of these fighters.
“Like I said, none of these guys are willing to fight 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 pounds [heavier] and still knock guys out. At this point in time I think I earned my due respect and my credit, to say I am the hardest hitting puncher in boxing history, period,” said Wilder.
Most people in the boxing world agree with Deontay 100% that he’s the hardest puncher that’s ever breathed. There have been some big punchers during the history of boxing, and Wilder stands out head and shoulders above all.
Gilfoid’s list of hardest punchers in the history of boxing:
- Deontay Wilder
- Sonny Liston
- George Foreman
- Lennox Lewis
- Wladimir Klitschko
- Mike Tyson
- Cleveland Williams
- Ken Norton
“At this point in time you’ve gotta give me my credit,” said Wilder. “It’s sad that it took me over 40 fights to get the recognition that I truly deserve because when people see me, they never seen my style and I know it took awhile for them to get used to what I display — my talent I present to boxing. But it’s different from any other fighter. What I do is not textbook; you can’t really teach it,” said Wilder.
It’s obvious that fighters have to be born with power, because it’s impossible to develop into a puncher like Deontay if you don’t have the right body for that. There’s never been anyone like Deontay, and it’s taken all these years before he emerged. In any sport, there are athletes that are special, and Wilder is one of those types. Boxing is lucky to have a talent like Wilder.