I just re-watched fury vs wilder 2 back on my lunch break and thought how similar AJ and Wilder's reactions were after both being hit behind the ear.
We have never seen Wilder looking absolutely gassed in 3 rounds before and it's not like Ortiz didn't ever land on the dude. I know people are now calling Wilder trash and has been exposed etc but I really don't think Fury looked particularly elegant in the first round and yes he did land with the overhand right in the second but i'm wondering how different the fight would have been, had he not taken that particular shot? In all likelihood, he gets hit with that kind of shot eventually but I think AJ has proven that even though you can take Wlads hardest shots, that doesn't mean you can take a punch behind the ear from any HW really.
I think we are being a touch too harsh on Wilder. Is there a chance Wilder comes back in August for the rematch and Fury walks into a straight right? Probably unlikely, but I wouldn't write it off as impossible!
Their physical reactions were similar, but I have to say, Wilder looked like he was intent on making to the final bell, whereas AJ was looking for a way out.
That right hand he took to the ear definitely took away his equilibrium so I knew he wasn't going to hurt Fury after that as he wouldn't be sitting down on his punches right. I imagine he was a bit concussed but not as bad as AJ, but with the ear issue it was potentially more dangerous for him.
Looking at Wilder in his corner between 6th and 7th rounds, the corner/referee/doctor should have stopped him from coming out for the 7th. Wilder was gone!