One of boxing's biggest debate topics will get another answer on Saturday night inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. What wins out: power or speed and elusiveness? WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder brings unmatched strength to this title rematch as he faces off with the always colorful Tyson Fury in the main event of this PPV showdown.
Wilder scored two knockdowns in the first meeting, with Fury picking himself up off the canvas both times. In between those knockdowns, Fury neutralized much of Wilder's potent offense while slickly outboxing the champ. The compelling nature of the fight and the scoring methods employed in boxing led to wildly diverse scorecards in the public and from the official ringside judges.
Both fighters took on a pair of "stay busy" fights before getting to this rematch on Saturday night. Wilder took out Dominic Breazeale and Luis Ortiz with vicious knockouts while Fury obliterated Tom Schwarz before needing to work back from a nasty cut against Otto Wallin to earn a decision. Now, both will be looking to add another KO to their resumes.
While the winner on Saturday night won't be the unified or undisputed champion of the division, you could make a case for them becoming the biggest star in the sport given the amount of build this event has gotten. Unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will be the most intrigued observer, especially since all three men have expressed their desire to unify all four recognized belts.
MORE WILDER-FURY 2: Complete preview, tale of the tape | Wilder biggest puncher ever? | Fury more than smoke and mirrors
We've already provided you with a long list of predictions from legends and world champions, and the breakdown shows the wide range of opinions on how the fight could go, from an early knockout from either man to late-round finishes to scorecards going either direction. That and the odds laid on the fight show that not only is this a big money fight, it's as competitive on paper as almost any championship fight in boxing today.
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Let's take a look at the fight card and latest odds from William Hill Sportsbook for this fight.
| Favorite | Underdog | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
Deontay Wilder (c) -135 | Tyson Fury +115 | WBC heavyweight title |
Charles Martin -575 | Gerald Washington +425 | Heavyweights |
| Emanuel Navarrete (c) -2500 | Jeo Santisima +1200 | WBO super bantamweight title |
| Sebastian Fundora | Daniel Lewis | Junior middleweight |
Let's take a closer look at the card and see who our experts are taking to win on Saturday night. Here are your pick makers: Brent Brookhouse (Combat sports writer), Brian Campbell (Combat sports writer), Jack Crosby (editor) and Brandon Wise (editor).
Picks, Predictions
| Experts | Wilder vs. Fury 2 |
|---|---|
Campbell | Fury UD |
Brookhouse | Fury UD |
Crosby | Wilder TKO7 |
Wise | Wilder TKO4 |
Campbell: Fury outboxed Wilder in their first meeting yet couldn't get the nod from the judges. He has vowed to go for the early knockout with new trainer SugarHill Steward by his side. Can we believe him? Either way, expect a more aggressive Fury and should he be able to crowd Wilder and lean on him with his 40-plus pound weight advantage, he may have a chance at smothering Wilder's power. If the "Gypsy King" can make it to the final bell, he will be the winner.
Brookhouse: WIlder's showing against Ortiz sticks out as a concern heading into this fight. If he doesn't press the action and hopes he has the one big bomb in his back pocket he can deploy as the fight slips away on the cards, that's not guaranteed to work out. Fury already showed he can take Wilder's best shot and get back up. Now, that is no sort of guarantee Wilder can't drop another massive right and end Fury's night, but Fury's chin proved legitimate in the first meeting and that should provide motivation to Wilder to be an active fighter.
There's two possible ways the fight plays out. It could be another thriller, or it could be a dull showing where landing four punches a round is enough to win. It all comes down to if Fury does follow through with his big talk of going for the knockout or if Wilder is active offensively. If Wilder fights like he did against Ortiz and Fury looks to fight a cautious defensive style, this might be a disappointing fight. That said, running the fight in my head over and over, I simply see more ways for Fury to work his way to victory, even if Wilder's power keeps him in every second of every fight.
Crosby: I can't begin to explain how many times I've talked myself into a more-focused-than-ever Tyson Fury using his superior well-rounded boxing acumen to come away with the unanimous decision victory. In terms of the full arsenal when it comes to the sweet science, few bring more to the table than Fury -- no matter the weight division.
For as many times as I talked myself into that conclusion, however, I just simply couldn't help myself coming back to Wilder's dominance as it pertains to rematches. While the WBC champion is most well-known for being one of the deadliest power-punchers the sport has ever seen, he's a lot smarter than some would like to give him credit for. This was no more evident than in his most recent rematch outing against Luis Ortiz where he executed his plan to perfection and floored the challenger much earlier than in their first meeting. Wilder and his team have been studying that spit-draw fight from 2018 relentlessly, no doubt, and it will provide the champ with the blueprint necessary to find an opening for the killshot slightly earlier than the final stanza this time around. And this time, Fury won't be making a miraculous recovery as Wilder leaves no doubt to the outcome.
Wise: I have been hypnotized by the Gypsy King. I actually believe Fury when he says he is going for the knockout of Wilder and will stand inside that fire to score it. He has been so calm and so calculated throughout this training camp that it seems like he has no other choice but to do so. But, be careful what you ask for. Wilder has shown his power can knock down the lineal champ and if Fury throws caution to the wind, he will leave himself exposed to the frenetic power in Wilder's right hand. Prepare for the baptism by fire.
Who will win Wilder vs. Fury 2, how long will the fight last, and which best bet pays 9-2? Visit SportsLine now to see Peter Kahn's best bets, all from the fight game insider who called Wilder knocking out Dominic Breazeale in the first round at 22-1.
