Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury deliver heavyweight epic, controversial split decision draw
It was one of the most anticipated heavyweight battles in recent memory. It went all the way between the two undefeated fighters, living up to its intense billing.
It ended in a draw.
Deontay Wilder was the unbeaten champion on home soil and had two knockdowns, but Tyson Fury outboxed his opponent over 12 rounds, leading to yet another split decision that has the boxing world torn.
At the end of the day, both fighters had their arms raised in Los Angeles’ Staples Center, with the judges scoring the fight: 115-111 to Wilder, 114-110 to Fury, and a 113-113.
Naturally, both fighters thought they had it won.
“I think, with the two knockdowns, I definitely won the fight,” Wilder said after the bout.
“We poured our hearts out tonight. We both were warriors. We both went hand to hand. But, with those two drops, I feel like I won the fight. I don’t think he had control of the fight. I wasn’t hurt. I came out slow. I rushed my punches.”
Fury, who was returning from a nearly three-year hiatus, was taunting Wilder for much of the fight, sticking his tongue out and putting his hands behind his back in the middle of each round.
While Wilder’s power was on show, Fury’s defence was arguably more impressive and consistent — the champion connecting on just 17 percent of his power shots, after landing 54 percent in his previous eight fights — with the Brit believing he should have won the fight.
“We’re on away soil, I got knocked down twice, but I still believe I won the fight, and I believe every man in here believes I won that fight tonight,” Fury said.
“But I’m showing total professionalism here. I’m a true champion, a true warrior. I went to Germany to fight Klitschko, I came out to America to fight Deontay Wilder.
The world knows the truth. I thought I won the fight.”
The decision was split, and the scorecard showed just that, with each judge seeing every round differently throughout.
FULL CARD RESULTS
Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury — draw; split decision.


