Wilder vs Fury: WBC heavyweight title fight ends in controversial draw

The much anticipated WBC heavyweight championship showdown between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury has ended in a split-decision draw. 

Judges scored the fight 115-111 Wilder, 114-110 Fury and 113-113 in favour of a split draw. 

Wilder started the fight well, connecting with jabs and looking to finish off Fury from the outset, giving the crowd at the sold-out Staples Centre in LA something to cheer about. 

Fury absorbed the pressure and went on the front foot himself, landing big blows to the American and causing a bump above his eye.

The fight started to heat up in the ninth round when a right-handed shot to Fury's temple dropped the Gypsy King for the first time in the fight.

Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder
Photo credit: Getty

Fury hit the canvas in the final round after a jab from Wilder wobbled the Brit and a left-handed hook saw the man from Manchester fall to the ground for the second time in the fight.

The shot would've knocked a lot of fighters around the world out, but not Fury. He got up at the count of nine and was able to finish the match. 

Wilder was frustrated after the match that the result didn't go his way.

"I won the fight - I had two knockdowns," he said. "I didn't think he had control of the fight.

"I was rushing my punches; it was something I don't normally do. I was forcing the punches too much instead of staying patient."

Tyson Fury also thought the split draw was the wrong decision.

Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder ends in a draw
Photo credit: Getty

"That man [Wilder] is a fiercer puncher but I avoided his punches. The world knows the truth - I thought I should've won the fight.

"I'm a true champion; I'm a warrior - I went to Germany to fight Klitschko and I came to America to fight Wilder."

With a 12-round classic in the books, a rematch is almost a certainty - one the American thinks he will win.

"In the rematch I guarantee I'll get him."

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