What’s at Stake in Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder, Part 3?

Boxing fans are getting what they want. We think.

After battling in the ring two times, the most recent of which came on February 22, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder are set for a third meeting. If all goes according to plan, they will square off on July 18, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Still, before you take a look on a legitimate guide with best boxing online betting practices, it’s important to note that the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe could impact this fight date. All major boxing events have been postponed until further notice. The third showdown between Fury and Wilder will most likely change.

On the bright side, this fight is closer to being in the clear than the most. It’s the title fights in April, May and even June that are more at risk or have already been postponed. That doesn’t mean Fury vs. Wilder will happen as planned. Delays in the rest of the schedule will probably push it back. Fans are likely looking at October as a potentially new target date.

Regardless of when it takes place, though, the odds have already been set:

Tyson Fury (-240)

Deontay Wilder (+200)

Draw (+1600)

Fury earning favorite status shouldn’t surprise anyone. He opened as the favorite ahead of their rematch in February, in large part because many believed their 2018 draw actually should’ve gone down as a win for Fury, who landed a much higher percentage of his punches.

And yet, in the end, oddsmakers eventually flipped. Wilder closed as the slight favorite in February, no doubt because so many bettors were investing in his better-than-even money odds.

This is something that could still happen here. Fury took their second match in the seventh round, but Wilder still has a filthy right hand that can spell lights out for anyone if it lands. Many will see the risk of his losing worth the potential two-to-one payout.

At the same time, there’s no way we see a complete about-face. Fury is going to close as the favorite. He was so dominant in their second matchup that both oddsmakers and bettors have no choice other than to recognize him.

Through the first five rounds of their February tilt, Fury knocked down Wilder on two separate occasions. He then proceeded to remain on the offensive, putting Wilder on the ropes and forcing his camp to wave the white flag during Round 7.

The loss marked Wilder’s first career defeat. And as many expected, he enacted his rematch clause for a chance to regain his WBC heavyweight crown.

At this rate, though, Wilder will need to at least slightly manipulate his fighting style to ensure he’s not dropped once again. Fury kept putting him in compromising positions in Match No. 2 by continuously closing the distance between himself and Wilder. That limited the impacts of Wilder’s greatest weapon: power. He didn’t have the air space to generate the necessary wind-up on his jabs and hooks.

Focusing on keeping his right hand away from Fury could go a long way for Wilder. The right hand pop is his most devastating move, and if he can at least keep that arm free, he’ll have a better chance of securing an early-round knockout.

But beyond a semi-immediate KO, it’s tough to envision Wilder getting the best of the new WBC heavyweight champ. Both fighters packed on an additional 20 pounds before the last fight. Fury clearly carries the extra mass around better. Wilder can try to get leaner in order to increase his speed, but that could end up limiting the power he generates behind jabs and hooks.

And since technical fighting has never been Wilder’s strong suit, it doesn’t make much sense to turn into a scouting-report stylist. Power has and will always be his advantage. He’ll need to come out on the offensive and end the fight early to avoid another letdown.

Whatever happens in Fury-Wilder Part Three, you can bet Anthony “AJ” Joshua will be paying close attention. He’s expected to eventually tussle with whoever wins the next Fury-Wilder matchup. Fury, in fact, was hoping to get a crack at him following his February win, but then Wilder enacted his rematch clause.

The appeal of challenging Joshua is obvious. He owns the WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles. If he agrees to put all three on the line against the WBC heavyweight champ, be it Wilder or Fury, the winner will then have possession of all four belts.

Refusing to fight with all three of his titles up for grabs would be Joshua’s right. He’s earned it. But the allure of being the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world will pull to him just as much as it speaks to Fury or Wilder. If he’s called out, there’s a good chance he accepts.

For those hoping to see a four-title match down the line, they should probably be rooting for Fury to win his third fight with Wilder. The latter may be less inclined to go after Joshua should he win, if only because he’ll have experienced two close calls, one of which became a loss. He may not want to risk the WBC heavyweight crown so soon after recapturing it, assuming he gets it back at all.

Hence why so much is at stake in Fury-Wilder Part 3, no matter when it happens. Whoever wins won’t just be the WBC heavyweight champion. He will, in all likelihood, determine whether we get to see the four-title bout against Joshua that everyone and their third cousins has been waiting for.