Fansided

FanSided’s 2018 boxing awards and review of boxing’s best moments

By Jeremy Herriges

Tony Bellew (left) in action against Oleksandr Usyk during their WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO & Ring Magazine Cruiserweight World Championship bout at Manchester Arena. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
Tony Bellew (left) in action against Oleksandr Usyk during their WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO & Ring Magazine Cruiserweight World Championship bout at Manchester Arena. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images) /
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Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury
LOS ANGELES, USA – DECEMBER 01: Deontay Wilder (L) lands a left hook and knocks down Tyson Fury (R) in the 12th round of WBC Heavyweight Championship at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on December 01, 2018.(Photo by Philip Pacheco/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) /

2018 Fight of the Year: Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury

This was one of the toughest categories to judge because there wasn’t a single fight that had sustained competitive action typical of most Fights of the Year. There wasn’t that Arturo Gatti vs. Mickey Ward matchup this year, but there were several that produced thrilling moments from start to finish, but Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury was the most climactic.

Going by the numbers, Wilder vs. Fury didn’t produce a ton of action. According to CompuBox, Wilder and Fury only combined for 155 total punches landed. That’s a very low number which wouldn’t normally produce a Fight of the Year, but Wilder vs. Fury was an anomaly in so many ways.

Wilder and Fury are electric personalities, and their pre-fight hype helped build this fight into one of the most anticipated contests of the year. Both men came into the bout with undefeated records and contrasting styles. Wilder is a one-punch wonder while Fury is a boxing tactician.

To make things even more unpredictable, Fury entered the biggest matchup of his career since becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion in 2015 by defeating Wladimir Klitschko. He fell into a deep depression after his career-defining win and succumbed to alcohol and drug abuse, but he returned to the ring in 2018 with two consecutive victories.

Fury controlled the fight for a majority of the bout, but Wilder’s prolific right hand showed up when he needed it most. He used it to drop Fury in the ninth. Fury recovered and won more rounds and looked like he was going to be victorious, but Wilder knocked him down again in the 12th and final round.

Fury was out cold for several seconds but somehow managed to beat the referee’s count and finished the fight boxing well. The result was a controversial draw, but Wilder’s two knockdowns saved his record from receiving its first loss. Hopefully, they will do it all again in 2019, but their unpredictable intensity made this the 2018 Fight of the Year.

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