The wait is over.

The top two heavyweights in the world will put their unbeaten records on the line when they meet again tonight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The much-anticipated rematch between the “Gypsy King” Tyson Fury, and the “Bronze Bomber” Deontay Wilder has the boxing world torn. Some argue that Fury’s technique and boxing IQ should put him on top, while others believe that a Wilder knockout is inevitable. 

Each fighter possesses the tools to win, the question is who has the edge going into the rematch and who will make the necessary adjustments after their first fight? 

The “Bronze Bomber” vs. the “Gypsy King.” Let’s take a closer look.

Tale of the tape

Titles

Fury; Lineal Heavyweight Champion   

Wilder; World Boxing Council Champion

Records

Fury; 29-0-1 with 20 knockouts

Wilder; 42-0-1 with 41 knockouts

Age

Fury; 31

Wilder; 34

Height

Fury; 6 feet 9 inches

Wilder; 6 feet 7 inches

Weight

Fury; 273 pounds

Wilder; 231 pounds

Reach

Fury; 85 inches

Wilder; 83 inches

Brief History

Fury and Wilder first fought in December 2018 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Fury, who dealt with battles outside of the ring such as drug abuse and depression, was in just his third fight back from an over two-year hiatus. He wasn’t given much of a chance against Wilder, yet, he was able to outbox him for most of the fight. Wilder knocked Fury down in the ninth and 12th round, with the last of those knockdowns appearing to be the end of the fight before the “Gypsy King” seemingly rose from the dead and came back to nearly knock Wilder out at the end of the fight. Most thought Fury won, but the judges ruled it a draw. After both fighters have fought twice since then and won both fights, the stage is set for tonight.

Power

Deontay Wilder might be the hardest puncher in boxing history. His second knockout win over Luis Ortiz this past November silenced the doubters. Wilder’s power was also on full display when he almost sent Fury into the afterlife during the 12th round of their first fight. Wilder isn’t known for being a great boxer but his power is undeniable. Fury is known for a lot of things but being a knockout artist is not one. This one goes to Wilder. 

Pick: Wilder

Speed

Both fighters have speed Tyson Fury’s really catches my eye. Fury is 6 feet 9 inches but he moves like a middleweight. His head movement is efficient and it’s really hard to catch him clean. Wilder finally succeeded in catching Fury, but it was because of his timing rather than speed. Neither fighter is necessarily known for their speed, but Fury has the clear advantage in that department going into tonight’s fight.

Pick: Fury

Defense

The fact that neither Fury or Wilder have a loss on their record shows that they possess the art of hitting and not being hit. Wilder has an unorthodox style especially when it comes to his defense. Wilder doesn’t implement a lot of head movement, and he relies a lot on a high guard to deflect the shots. Fury, on the other hand, is a defensive guru. From counters to perfect head movement, Fury is almost impossible to hit at times. He mixes in a combination of flawless footwork and perfect positioning that allows himself to defend without the threat of getting hit by a big shot. While Wilder uses the high guard, Fury uses Floyd Mayweather’s world-famous Philly shell defense. Fury lives off defense and this one is definitely in his favor.

Pick: Fury

The Verdict

This is one of the hardest predictions to make. On one hand, I really think Fury has what it takes to beat Wilder. He was doing just that before Wilder dropped him twice and a lot of people still argue that Fury won despite being knocked down twice. You can’t avoid Wilder’s right hand forever and Fury found that out during their last bout.

Fury will win the early rounds, but Wilder will land the right hand and that will change everything. It hurts to say this as a Fury fan, but Wilder will prove to everyone that he is the best heavyweight in the world.

Prediction: Wilder by knockout in the 10th round