Mon, Nov 30, 2015 page20

• Fury ends Klitschko heavyweight reign

  READY TO RUMBLE: Wladimir Klitschko’s promoter Bernd Boente said that there is a rematch clause in the contract, while Tyson Fury has said he would fight any challenger

  • AP, DUESSELDORF, Germany
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  Tyson Fury defeated Wladimir Klitschko by unanimous decision on Saturday to end the Ukrainian’s nine-and-a-half-year reign as heavyweight champion and fulfill his father’s prophesy from the day he was born.

  Born three months early and weighing just 0.45 kg, Fury was not given much chance to live, but John Fury told doctors it was his destiny to live and become heavyweight champion of the world. He named the second of his six sons Tyson, after Mike Tyson.

  Twenty-seven years later, the 2.09m-tall Tyson Fury, who is of Irish-Gypsy heritage and comes from a bloodline of bare-knuckle champions on both sides of his family, finally lived up to his name.

  

  Tyson Fury, left, lands a punch on Wladimir Klitschko in their world heavyweight title bout at the Esprit Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Saturday.

  Photo: Reuters

  “It is something I have been working on for my whole life,” he said. “I am bred to be a fighter.”

  After a bruising encounter that ended with cuts near both of Klitschko’s eyes, referee Tony Weeks went to the judges’ scorecards.

  Cesar Ramos and Raul Caiz Sr scored it 115-112 each, while Ramon Cerdan had it 116-111 in favor of the undefeated Briton (25-0, 18 KO).

  

  Tyson Fury celebrates after beating Wladimir Klitschko in their world heavyweight title bout at the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Saturday.

  Photo: AP

  Tyson Fury took Klitschko’s WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts, as well as the minor IBO title, and attention turned immediately to a potential rematch.

  “We have a rematch clause in the contract,” Klitschko promoter Bernd Boente said.

  “I am a fighter, so I will take on all challengers,” Tyson Fury said. “I came here tonight, took the world title. Whatever happens next is a blessing. The interest in the next fight will be huge.”

  

  Wladimir Klitschko leaves the ring after being defeated by Tyson Fury in their world heavyweight title bout at the Esprit Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Saturday.

  Photo: Reuters

  Tyson Fury, 12 years younger than the 39-year-old Klitschko, taunted and baited the champion at various stages, prompting jeers from fans at the 55,000-seat soccer stadium in Duesseldorf.

  Klitschko (64-4, 53 KO), contesting his 28th title fight, was cautious until attempting a recovery in the final rounds, but suffered his first defeat since April 2004.

  “The speed was missing. Reach played a big role. I tried, but it did not work,” said Klitschko, who — at 1.98m tall — was in the unusual position of facing someone taller.

  Tyson Fury, who weighed in at 112kg, also had a 0.5kg weight advantage.

  “I saw my face in the mirror and it did not look so nice, but that is boxing,” Klitschko said.

  Klitschko, the premier heavyweight of his era, relinquished the IBF belt he had held since 2006, the WBO title he had owned since 2008 and the WBA crown he had had since 2011.

  The other major belt, the WBC title, was held by Deontay Wilder of the US. That was vacated in 2013 by Klitschko’s older brother, Vitali, who is the mayor of Kiev, Ukraine.

  The buildup to the fight had seen Fury dressing as Batman, and serenading and insulting Wladimir Klitschko, and even complimenting him on his scent.

  “I have said some stupid things,” an emotional Tyson Fury said of his pre-fight talk and antics. “Wladimir, you are a great champion and thanks for having me. It was all fun and games in the buildup.”

  Earlier on Saturday, Tyson Fury threatened to call off the bout unless an issue with the canvas being too soft was resolved.

  There were also issues over gloves and glove-wrapping. Vitali Klitschko oversaw Tyson Fury’s glove-wrapping, but the Fury camp was incensed when Wladimir Klitschko wrapped his gloves without any of them present. That spat was resolved when he agreed to re-wrap.

  Tyson Fury was itching to go from the start and he ran into the first round to put Wladimir Klitschko off kilter. The Briton also goaded Wladimir Klitschko during and after the round.

  Tyson Fury then landed a big right on Wladimir Klitschko in the fifth, when he opened a small cut under his right eye, taunting him again.

  The Briton’s intensity seemed to drop as Wladimir Klitschko improved, but he needled him in the seventh, when he urged Wladimir Klitschko to “come on” and baited him with his hands behind his back, prompting more jeers.

  Wladimir Klitschko replied to an uppercut in the ninth with a big right of his own before Tyson Fury was warned for punching the back of his head. He had Wladimir Klitschko in trouble in the corner.

  Wladimir Klitschko needed a response, and sought it in the 10th, by which time there was blood coming from his left eye, too.

  Tyson Fury had a point deducted for hitting behind the head in the 11th and both fighters gave their all in a furious final round before raising their arms in celebration. The Tyson Fury camp’s celebrations seemed more sincere.

  “I am perhaps the sixth or seventh British heavyweight champion of the world and I believe I am the first Irish heavyweight champion of the world, so big that up,” said Tyson Fury, who also revealed that his wife, Paris, is expecting their third child.

  “I got the news yesterday that we were pregnant. We were trying for two years so this is obviously the icing on the cake,” Tyson Fury said.
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