Tyson Fury knocks out Deontay Wilder to win an epic world heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas

The British heavyweight star was on the brink of defeat when he was floored twice in the fourth round, but Fury staged a sensational recovery and dropped Wilder in the 10th before inflicting a crushing knockout to retain his WBC belt. Wilder had been blasted to the canvas in the third round, but the American nearly pulled off a stunning fightback in the fourth, before Fury quickly regained command and eventually broke the resistance of his exhausted challenger. Wilder had been blasted to the canvas in the third round, but the American nearly pulled off a stunning fightback in the fourth, before Fury quickly regained command and eventually broke the resistance of his exhausted challenger.

In a tense opening round, Wilder tried to enforce his aggressive tactics as he forced Fury onto the back foot with stinging body shots and clubbing right hands.

But Fury began to find the range with his hurtful straight right hand in the second, then unloaded it perfectly in the third to daze Wilder, who was cuffed to the canvas. With Wilder badly hurt, Fury went for the finish in the fourth, but he wilted to the canvas after a huge right hand from the Alabama man.

A right hand from Fury sent Wilder crumpling to the canvas in the 10th, and still he threw back, briefly buzzing the Brit with crude shots.

But Fury finally concluded their saga in the 11th as a huge right hand sent Wilder crashing spectacularly to the canvas.

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Pat McCormack insists he and twin Luke will become world champions as pro boxers after Olympic adventure

Pat McCormack: “Olympic medalists make very, very good pros so I’m looking forward to what the future brings. I’ve waited a long time to turn professional. With Covid-19 knocking back the Olympics, I should have been pro by now. I feel like my apprenticeship is done.” Pat McCormack brought home a silver medal as part of Team GB’s boxers’ record six-medal haul from Tokyo 2020.

“It will take a few years to build into, but if you’re not aiming for a world title then there’s no pointing being in the game.”

He reflected on the professional successes of the 2016 Olympians: “They have done unbelievably. Lawrence Okolie is world champion which couldn’t be any better. Joshua Buatsi is pushing on for a world title.

McCormack fell short of Olympic gold in the welterweight final against the veteran Cuban Roniel Iglesias, who became a back-to-back gold medalist and was competing at his fourth Games.

“It’s a bit disappointing that it wasn’t a gold medal,” he said. “That’s what I came for. Now that the dust has settled, I am proud of it.

“I’ve medaled at the World Championships, European Championships, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

“This was the last medal on the list and I’m ready for what’s next.

“I felt the pressure. I stayed on since Rio so I knew that I’d have to get a medal or it would have been a waste of five years.”

His twin brother Luke was also eliminated by a brilliant Cuban, Andy Cruz, in the lightweight round of 16.

Pat said about Luke: “His dream was never to go to the Olympics. But I was going so he thought: ‘I may as well go!’

“His dream was always to be a professional world champion.

“He’s got a great style for the pros – he has good punching power.

“He will be a world champion.…

Joshua may vacate his WBO title

Matchroom Boxing promoter Hearn says Joshua may take the fight with Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs), but he also may vacate the WBO belt if it doesn’t make “business sense” for them.

Hearn has a couple of other options that he’s looking at for Joshua’s next fight.

Presumably, those are bigger money fights than what Usyk brings to the table. Usyk isn’t someone who will attract a lot of excitement from the fans, as he’s not done anything at heavyweight to make a name for himself.

Hearn and Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs) are still steaming about losing out on the Tyson Fury undisputed championship fight, and the last thing they want is for a sanctioning body to order them around.

“We negotiate all the time with people who sometimes aren’t entitled to a fight, and we got it again now,” said Eddie Hearn to Boxing Social. “The WBO straightaway sent a little in, ‘You’re now fighting him.’

“At some point, you want to turn around and say, ‘You know what? Why can’t we just breathe and do our own thing, but of course, he [Joshua] wants to be undisputed, and that’s why we’re considering our options.

“I think the most likely scenario is, we fight Oleksander Usyk. If the deal is right and everyone is sensible, yes, I think that fight happens.…