Former heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder has strangely included his knockdown of Tyson Fury during their first meeting three years ago in a list of his ‘coldest knockouts’, despite no such knockout having ever taken place. Wilder floored Fury twice in rounds seven and 12 of their 2018 bout in Los Angeles, but the ‘Gypsy King’ recovered on both occasions to snatch a draw by way of split decision.
The Brit came out on top in emphatic fashion when the pair rekindled their rivalry in February last year, producing an utterly dominant performance to take a seventh-round victory after Wilder’s trainer Mark Breland was eventually forced to throw in the towel.
The result saw Fury claim the WBC heavyweight championship and take a giant step towards a unification fight with Anthony Joshua, which is edging ever closer to being finalised.
Despite failing to knock Fury out, Wilder has claimed that he in fact did and has even listed his two close calls among the best achievements of his entire career.
When asked to elaborate on his ‘coldest knockouts’, Wilder told ESNews: “Bermane Stiverne 2. I transformed there, I had an out-of-body experience, it was so crazy. [Artur] Szpilka was another one.
“And the two knockouts with Fury, because I definitely knocked his ass out. It was amazing but I didn’t get the creditability.”
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Wilder’s bizarre statement is the latest addition to a string of increasingly far-fetched claims about his struggles against Fury.
The American has previously suggested that foul play was the result of his defeat last year, having alleged that his opponent’s corner had added weights to his gloves.
He has also claimed that his water was spiked by a mutinous member of his coaching staff, and suggested the costume he wore to the ring was too heavy and weighed him down to the extent that he could no longer fight properly.
Wilder was understood to have been able to mandate a trilogy bout with Fury due to a contract clause, but it appears as though he will have to wait until the Manchester-based fighter has faced Joshua first.
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The big-punching Alabama native claimed earlier this month that he could face Joshua or Andy Ruiz Jr in a warm-up fight before taking on Fury once again.
When asked if the pair were names on his radar, Wilder replied: “Yeah. Any fighter that’s at the top that people haven’t seen me fight and people strongly want to see me fight, that’s who I want to fight.
“I can sit here and name names all day, that’s the easy part. I’m just going to go to the top and once you go to the top and it’s someone I ain’t fought, that’s who I want to fight.
“I want to clean the division out, period.”
Wilder’s defeat to Fury twelve months ago was the first of his professional career, having previously won 42 of his 43 fights with all but one of his victories coming by way of knockout.
The only other blemish on his otherwise impressive record is the draw from his first meeting with Fury.
It remains to be seen whether Wilder will ever get another shot at the controversial British champion, but he appears keen to fight and win against Joshua at some point in the near future in order to prove his worth.
The Watford-born fighter would pose a formidable challenge to the ‘Bronze Bomber’, with both men able to throw devastating knockout blows at any moment when in the ring.
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