This is Rummy's Corner.
I don't know shit about boxing.
In fact it's almost comical.
During the few years this channel has been in existence I've been wrong about every major
heavyweight fight we've had!
I was WRONG when I picked Wladimir Klitchko to beat Tyson Fury back in November 2015.
I was WRONG when I picked Chris Arreola against Deontay Wilder in July 2016.
I was WRONG when I picked Wladimir Klitschko to defeat Anthony Joshua in April 2017.
I was WRONG when I picked Tyson Fury to defeat Deontay Wilder in December 2018.
I was WRONG when I picked Anthony Joshua to beat Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019.
I was WRONG when I picked Ruiz Jr in his rematch against AJ in December 2019.
And of course, I was wrong, this past weekend, when I predicted that Wilder would defeat
Tyson Fury.
And finally, the very first prediction I ever made here wasn't a heavyweight fight, but
I was WRONG when I picked Manny Pacquiao to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. Holy shit.
Two Canelo-Golovkin fights.
And this doesn't even scratch the surface regarding the enormous number of incorrect
predictions I've made during my life which predate this channel.
So please allow me to say it again - I don't know shit about boxing!
Last Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a mega bout that was broadcast
in the US on a joint ESPN-FOX PPV event - undefeated WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder had
his long awaited rematch against undefeated lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
Their first bout from December 2018 ended in a somewhat controversial draw, after Fury
appeared to outbox Wilder during most rounds, but Fury was dropped twice late in the contest.
So their first one ended in a draw.
But this time things were different.
Fury made drastic changes in his approach, and Wilder was unable to cope with Fury's
masterful execution of his outstanding game plan.
Tyson Fury made it look easy, which is a testament to just how talented he truly is.
Right at the start commentator Andre Ward basically stated what would become the story
of the fight - essentially that Fury was making Wilder fight going backwards.
Fury remained committed to this general approach throughout the match, and this was in stark
contrast to how he approached their first bout, when Fury was usually looking to use
movement and stay outside.
Fury dropped Wilder late in round 3, and while Wilder bravely battled on as best he could,
the momentum was all Fury after that.
The basic strategy of making Wilder fight going backwards was the heart of Fury's approach,
but with that came the incredible boxing IQ and all the subtle nuance that makes Fury
such a terrific boxer.
Fury was still utilizing his trademark feints to great effect, he still had that herky-jerky
itchy-twitchy elusive rhythm, and he was effectively implementing various elements from his many
bags of tricks to rough Wilder up in any way he could.
Fury dropped Wilder again in round 5 when he landed a crippling left to the body.
Wilder's legs were gone, but still Wilder battled, and still Fury continued executing
in methodical fashion.
Fury never overextended, he never got reckless, and he continued taking care of business.
Wilder was beginning to absorb a lot of punishment.
Fury was breaking him down physically and mentally.
Things finally came to an end in round 7 when Wilder's corner stopped the fight.
So Wilder lost, and a lot of fans are being extremely critical of him, saying Fury exposed
him - and honestly, I think this type of thing does a great disservice to both Fury and Wilder.
There is no shame in losing against Tyson Fury.
These two men were the two best heavyweights in the world, and the better man won that
night.
Tyson Fury.
Losing against Fury doesn't erase what Wilder accomplished before this, much like losing
against Fury doesn't erase the rich legacy of the great Wladimir Klitschko.
These results say more about Fury's greatness than anything else.
Wilder losing to Fury reminds me of when Joshua lost against Ruiz Jr.
I wasn't ready to write Joshua off then, and I am not ready to write Wilder off now - or
Andy Ruiz Jr, either, for that matter.
In boxing, it isn't only about losing.
Sometimes it's about how a boxer rebounds from a loss that ultimately defines them.
To be sure, that was a tough loss for Deontay to suffer, but I still believe he can bounce
back from this.
Wilder is still the same man with the nuclear right who made 10 consecutive successful defenses
of his WBC title.
That's no joke, people!
I know there are some who are extremely critical of his competition during this reign, but
10 or more consecutive heavyweight title defenses is still exceptionally rare, even in the more
modern era of the past 30 years or so.
So make no mistake!
Wilder is one of the most accomplished heavyweights in boxing right now, and Fury deserves full
credit for beating one of the most accomplished heavyweights in the world today.
So how good is Tyson Fury?
I think he's clearly proven himself as the current king in the division.
Fury ended the nearly 10 year reign of Wladimir Klitschko, and now he has ended the 5 year
reign of Deontay Wilder.
That is mighty impressive stuff!
How impressive?
I think Fury clearly enters the discussion of the greatest non-American heavyweights
of all time.
He was already probably a part of that discussion anyway, but the dominant win against Wilder
drives this point home.
I personally believe that Lennox Lewis is the gold standard here.
And incidentally, I thought Lewis and Andre Ward were both terrific with their commentating
and that they complimented each other very well.
If you omit the great American heavyweight champions from the past, Lennox absolutely
tops the list in my opinion.
There are other guys who belong in this discussion, too - Bob Fitzsimmons, Max Schmeling, Ingemar
Johansson, and both Klitschko brothers just to touch on a few.
But I view Lennox as the very best among non-American heavyweight champions, and indeed, Lennox
is one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, period.
Lennox was a tremendous champion, and he was the last man to hold a claim to every major
championship recognized in his day - WBC, WBA, IBF, and lineal.
Since that time the WBO is also now recognized as a major championship.
So right now, Anthony Joshua holds the IBF, WBA, and WBO versions of the title, whereas
Tyson Fury has now added the WBC strap to his valid claim as lineal champion.
And make no mistake, Fury became the lineal champion when he defeated Wlad in 2015.
Fury never lost that distinction, despite many claims I still inexplicably see to the
contrary.
Fury already was the lineal champion, he still is, and now he is also the WBC champion.
Anyway, as much as Fury has positioned himself as a potential threat to the gold standard
that is Lennox Lewis pertaining to non-American heavyweight greats, Anthony Joshua could potentially
figure into this conversation as well.
Fury clearly has the edge now.
But that doesn't matter, because at this point in time, it feels inevitable that Fury and
Joshua will need to meet sooner or later, and the sooner the better.
In an ideal world, I really wish we could get Fury vs Joshua NEXT - and maybe, we can
also get something like Wilder vs Ruiz?
Unfortunately, boxing politics and the nature of the business usually doesn't work in ideal
world situations.
Joshua has a couple of mandatories he needs to deal with in Pulev and Usyk.
Fury may wind up having a third fight with Wilder, or Fury may wind up facing someone
else.
But whatever happens, if Fury and Joshua keep winning, their paths should hopefully cross
in the not-too-distant future.
I just hope this fight happens when it still matters as much as it does RIGHT NOW!
Back when Fury was on the sidelines and not actively boxing, there was a perfect window
of opportunity for a megabout showdown between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
The fight never came together, and boxing fans were cheated out of this.
The fight could still happen, but the magic that existed back then, where they were both
undefeated - that magic is gone.
I still wouldn't mind seeing Wilder vs Joshua, and I still wouldn't mind seeing Fury vs Wilder
3, either.
But right now THAT'S the fight!
Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua!
For all the heavyweight marbles!
Who doesn't want to see THAT?
Fury is coming off of a dominant victory where he exhibited great versatility in changing
his tactics in a high profile rematch, and Joshua is also coming off a dominant win where
he exhibited a great shift in tactics for a high profile rematch.
The timing is perfect.
I personally tend to believe that the clash of styles strongly favors Fury here, because
I think Fury has a proven ability to dominate the range when fighting outside and/or in
tight.
My thinking here being that Fury will be able to better dictate the fighting range regardless
of how Joshua tries to approach this.
I actually think Fury matches up even better against Joshua than he did Wilder.
But - and I probably don't need to remind anyone of this - I don't know shit about boxing,
and my track record certainly proves it.
At the end of the day, not knowing what will happen is what makes being a boxing fan so
much fun.
No matter how many predictions I get incorrect - that's the joy of actually getting to see
the best face the best.
And right now, the biggest fight that can happen that I'd be most fired-up about - no
doubt about it - Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua.
But will it actually happen?
What do you think, and who do you think wins if it does?
Thanks for watching everyone, I hope you enjoyed and have a wonderful night!
This is Rummy's Corner