Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury: What time is the fight on Saturday, what TV channel is it on and what is our prediction?

What is it? 

Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury, WBC American champion vs British lineal champion, in a world heavyweight clash. Both fighters go into the fight unbeaten in their combined 67 professional bouts in a fight expected to be watched by millions across the US and the world.

When is it?

This weekend. Saturday, December 1, 2018 (but Sunday December 2 in the UK).

Where is it?

Staples Center (Los Angeles). 

Despite the fight being announced in mid-August, it took until the end of September for confirmation of the host venue, with Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Convention Centre the other possibility.

Wilder has yet to feature at the Staples Center during his 40-fight career, while Fury’s only previous appearance across the pond came at Madison Square Garden, New York City, where he defeated American Steve Cunningham in 2013, lifting himself off the canvas in arguably his most exciting fight yet to record a seventh round KO. 

In addition to the NHL’s LA Kings, the 21,000-capacity multi-purpose arena is home to the NBA’s LA Lakers and LA Clippers, and has previously hosted boxing hall of famers such as Oscar De La Hoya, Vitali Klitschko and Lennox Lewis.  

What TV channel will it be on? 

In the UK, the fight will be aired live on BT Sport Box Office, which is available across BT, Sky and Virgin Media. Paying viewers will be able to watch the fight on the BT Sport website. 

In the US, Showtime will be broadcasting the event, likewise on their pay-per-view platform.

You can find out more about how to watch here.

What time is the fight likely to start?

As always, these big fights are at the mercy of the undercard and how long the build-up takes. But we expect it to begin at 5am GMT on Sunday December 2.

For whose watching in the United States, it will be 9pm local time or midnight EST.

What is the latest news?

Deontay Wilder believes that by beating Luis Ortiz he has already had the best possible preparation for Tyson Fury.

The WBC heavyweight champion defends his title against Fury on Saturday at Los Angeles' Staples Center in what is widely considered his most difficult challenge.

Those that believe Fury will win do so because of his variety and boxing IQ, but by overcoming Cuba's Ortiz - a fighter Wilder believes possesses similar strengths - the American insists he learnt how to win against an undefeated opponent who outfoxed even the great Wladimir Klitschko.

Wilder had had to recover from a heavy knockdown before responding to stop the then highly-rated Ortiz in the 10th round, and even if he believes he will have to rely on figuring out Fury on fight night, he told Press Association Sport: "Ortiz is more experienced; he's been fighting just as long as Fury, if not longer.

"He's definitely got way more amateur experience - the Cubans, that's what they do. I've got so much confidence - I've knocked out the number two guy, and now I'm going for the number three. I'm not going to be denied. It's just a different height.

"Fury's awkward; any awkward fighter is going to be a tough fight - it's one of those things when you just have to figure him out. If it's with a less awkward opponent you have a grasp of what you need to do to get to him; with an awkward fighter you really can't think about it.

"You have to get in the ring and adjust. Every awkward fighter - it always took me a long time to get them out of there. This fight has been manifesting for five or six years."

Who is Deontay Wilder?

Wilder, 32, was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and had a tough upbringing. The ‘Bronze Bomber’ picked up boxing relatively late, as a 20-year-old, when he sought to provide support for his daughter who was born with spina bifida – a spinal cord injury. He now has four children and is expecting a fifth later this year. 

Despite his amateur career only beginning in 2005, Wilder won bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympics while representing the US. He turned professional later that year as a 23-year-old and after a spectacular rise through the professional ranks, became WBC world champion in 2015. Fury’s younger brother Marcellos Wilder also competes as a professional boxer. 

Who is Tyson Fury?

The self-proclaimed ‘Gypsy King’, Fury is a fighter proud of his Irish traveller heritage. He follows a long line of family fighting, with his dad John Fury competing as a bare-knuckle boxer in the 1980s, his cousin Andy Lee a former WBO middleweight champion, and another cousin Hughie Fury the current British heavyweight champion. 

Despite growing to his now mammoth stature of 6ft 9, Fury tipped the scales at only 1lb when he was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, after being three months premature. 

The now 30-year-old was named after famous American heavyweight Mike Tyson, and went on to represent both England and Ireland in an amateur career that spanned 35 fights. Aged 20, Fury turned professional in 2008, remaining unbeaten to eventually earn his shot at Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, where he recorded one of the most unexpected triumphs in British boxing history, claiming a points victory to win the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO, Ring and lineal heavyweight titles. 

Since the highest point of his career, Fury has struggled with personal and mental health problems, courting controversy by failing a drugs test; having his titles stripped and boxing licence revoked; openly confessing his use of cocaine to deal with depression; and making ill-advised remarks around issues of abortion, transgender and women’s rights. 

In 2018, Fury is now on the comeback trail, with his two return fights coming in victories against relatively lowly opposition of Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta. 

Fight records

Wilder:

40 fights, 40 wins (39 by KO). 

One criticism levelled at Wilder throughout his career is the relatively mediocre opposition he’s faced to get the top – Bermane Stiverne and Luiz Ortiz representing his sternest tests yet. British fans will also remember the Bronze Bomber’s spectacular one-minute knockout of Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison in 2013, which ended the heavyweight’s career.  

Fury: 

27 fights, 27 wins (19 by KO). 

Fury boasts arguably the more impressive CV, with scalps of Kevin Johnson, Dereck Chisora and of course Wladimir Klitschko to his name. His rise to the top of boxing’s ranks has taken him to Ireland, Canada, the US and Germany. 

How do their styles match up? 

What has been said?

Fury:

“Deontay Wilder: massive puncher. Me: skillful boxer. It’s going to be an epic night. This is a legacy fight.

"If I can come back from mental health problems and [contemplating] suicide, I can withstand anything.

"Deontay Wilder doesn't possess anything I'm scared of. Punches just bounce off me, they don't do anything. I'm a powerful man.

“There isn’t a man born from his mother that Tyson Fury is afraid of, and especially not a man who wears pigtails every day. I don’t fear anything about him.”

Wilder: 

“This fight means everything to the heavyweight division. This division was once in a dark place... We’ve brought the sport back to life.

"When we're put in a room together you can feel the energy, to the point where you need security. People feel the intensity, it's a huge fight.

“It’s important to establish dominance. I’m the best, the baddest man on the planet.

“You know what I’m coming to do December 1. I know you’re coming to see some skills but you’re coming to see this man’s body on the canvas and that’s what I’m going to deliver to you.”

What are the best odds?

• Deontay Wilder 4/6

• Draw 25/1

• Tyson Fury 11/8

What is our prediction?

Wilder KO in the second half of the fight. 

With Fury uninspiring in both of his comeback bouts, and question marks still persisting over his fitness, Wilder goes in as favourite. Expect fleet-footed Fury to cause Wilder problems, winning rounds behind the jab and forcing the American to miss, just as he did in Dusseldorf vs Klitschko. 

Fury is likely to tire, though, and Wilder will seize any opportunity to land one of his swinging overhand rights, and when one connects, it could be all over.

Compiled by  Michael Boniface