Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury: What date is the fight, 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. 

When is it?

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, with more information on their coverage here. 

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.

What is the latest news?

Tyson Fury has started his training camp in the mountains of Big Bear, California. He has been pictured sparring with British Olympic silver medallist Joe Joyce, who is signed to David Haye’s promotional company. 

Deontay Wilder has been forced to apologise after reportedly breaking the jaw of a mascot on live TV. The American has offered a ticket to the injured mascot for December 1. 

A rematch clause has been rumoured to be included in the contract for December 1, meaning Wilder have first refusal on facing Fury again should he lose. 

Manager of Deontay Wilder, Shelly Finkel, has claimed they are willing to resume negotiations for a potential Anthony Joshua clash, but only after the Fury fight. Eddie Hearn has claimed ‘progress’ with the talks.  

Who are they? 

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. 

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