Fury: I've Only Just Started; We're Gonna Be Putting People To Sleep!

LAS VEGAS – As satisfying as it felt for Tyson Fury to stop Deontay Wilder in their rematch Saturday night, the new WBC heavyweight champion knows he can do better.

England’s Fury feels more time working with trainer Javan Steward will enable him to master Steward’s aggressive style for future fights. Steward trained Fury for about seven weeks after replacing defensive-minded Ben Davison as the British star’s chief second.

A heavier, more assertive Fury still was able to implement their game plan against the hard-hitting Wilder. Fury floored Wilder twice, once in the third round and again in the fifth round, continued dominating the action and won by technical knockout in the seventh round.

By then, former WBA welterweight champ Mark Breland, Wilder’s assistant trainer, had seen enough. With Wilder backed into a neutral corner, taking flush punches from Fury, Breland threw in the towel.

Referee Kenny Bayless promptly stopped their scheduled 12-round rematch at 1:39 of the seventh round.

The 6-feet-9, 273-pound Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) wasn’t completely pleased, even though he became the first fighter to defeat Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) and won the only heavyweight title he hadn’t owned. The former IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO champ would’ve preferred a cleaner knockout of Wilder, who was standing when their rematch ended, and wants to work on his technique.

“I’m me own worst critic,” Fury said during the post-fight press conference. “And even though it was a fantastic performance, and I got a great win, I know I can do better. And I’ve only just started, me and ‘Sugar’ Hill [Steward] with this style. We’ve had seven weeks to perfect a style that takes years at the Kronk Gym [to master]. But I’m a quick learner and I aim to get back to work straight away, work on me balance, work on me straight punches, and we’re gonna be putting people to sleep left, right and center.”

Before Fury dropped him in the third round, Wilder hadn’t been down since journeyman Harold Sconiers knocked him down during the first round of their October 2010 fight in Indio, California. Wilder came back to send Sconiers to the canvas four times and won that bout by fourth-round TKO.

“Don’t forget, when I came here, they said I can’t punch,” Fury said. “Deontay Wilder said himself that I’ve got two pillow fists. But, you know, not bad for an old, fat guy who can’t punch, hey? Doing all right, didn’t I?” 

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.