SONAHR: November 29, 2015 – For the first time in a decade, there is no world heavyweight champion named Klitschko. And for the first time in two decades, there?s a heavyweight champion named Tyson ? Tyson Fury, that is.
On Saturday night, in a packed arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, Fury won Wladimir Klitschko?s long-held IBF, WBO, WBA ?Super? and Ring Magazine titles by a clear-cut unanimous decision. The judges? points tallies read 115-112 twice and 116-111. Fury?s victory on the scorecards was a remarkable feat indeed, considering not only that Germany is the Ukrainian Klitschko?s adopted home, but also that his decision wins are usually lop-sided in his favor.
However, Klitschko?s vast popularity in Germany did not help him in the ring on Saturday. Neither did his unexciting-but-effective style, which Fury managed to turn against him. Fury ? who is, indeed, named after former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson ? did not fight the way his explosive namesake did during his 1980s prime. Instead, he adhered to a cautious, tactical approach. Given Fury?s pre-fight bombast, this strategy was unexpected.
In part, Fury was able to pull off the upset because he approximated the Ukrainian?s size, standing two inches taller and weighing the same, avout 245 lb. Unlike previous Klitschko challenger Mariusz Wach, who was also slightly taller than the now-former champion, Fury has mastered the art of tall-man fighting. In effect, he out-Klitschko-ed Klitschko.
Did Klitschko?s 40 years of age finally catch up with him? Or was Fury simply the right man in the right place at the right time? The answer is probably a bit of both. Klitschko very likely would have beaten any of the other top heavyweights on Saturday, including Deontay Wilder, who holds the WBC belt once possessed by Wladimir?s brother, Vitali. Vitali retired as champion two years ago to enter the volatile arena of Ukrainian politics. That development marked the first crack in the Klitschko brothers? dominance of their division. Fury?s win provided the second crack that brought down the edifice of Klitschko invincibility.
Had the decision gone Klitschko?s way, it would have been considered just another boring Klitschko conquest. Because Fury won, the result is a significant one in terms of heavyweight history. It marks a changing-of-the guard, from the vanilla Wladimir to the fractious Fury, who is the loudest trash-talker since Muhammad Ali was at his vocal peak. Deontay Wilder is no wallflower, either, although his performances in his last two fights have not been impressive. Even so, a Fury-Wilder unification bout would be the biggest fight of 2016 ? if it happens.
But first, Fury faces a likely rematch with Klitschko. Wladimir was defeated, but he wasn?t demolished. Now that he?s seen what Fury can do, he could conceivably come up with a better game plan the second time around. And if Fury has concluded he has nothing to fear from the Ukrainian?s vaunted punching power and decides to fight more aggressively in a rematch, the sequel will surpass the original.
At age 27, the latter-day Tyson?s reign could be as long as Klitschko?s was ? or as short as that of Bermane Stiverne, who won and lost the WBC title in less than a year?s time. Given Fury?s volatility outside the ring, there will be few dull moments during his title tenure.
Welcome to the heavyweights? Brave New World ?
