Boxers are split between who will win.
Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury is the biggest heavyweight fight that can be made if Anthony Joshua isn’t involved. One reason might be because it’s so hard to get a feel for who can win the bout.
Deontay Wilder, left, will look to defend his heavyweight belt vs. Tyson Fury. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) Getty
Wilder (40-0,39 KOs) has immense power, and he’s knocked out every opponent he’s ever faced (the one man who took Wilder the distance, Bermane Stiverne, was destroyed in the first round of their rematch). But his technique oftentimes is amateurish. Meanwhile, Fury (27-0,19 KOs) has wonderful technique, and he’s a fantastic boxer. But he doesn’t have much power at the elite level, and there are still major questions about his chin.
“[Wilder] has a challenge in store on Dec. 1, a unique challenge, a set of skills and a set of physical attributes in Tyson Fury that present a challenge unlike anyone else in the division,” Showtime Sports President Stephen Espinoza said. “It’s a fascinating matchup of boxing styles; two big personalities, two charismatic champions.”
Before the fight officially was announced, Bovada sportsbook manager Kevin Bradley told Forbes that Fury should be the slightest of favorites. But the opening line actually made Wilder the favorite at -130 while Fury was listed at even money. Since then, the money has been coming in on Wilder—who, at one point, was listed as high as -185 with Fury at +150. At the time of this writing, Wilder is -175, meaning you’d have to bet $175 to win $100 on him, and Fury is the +145 underdog.
And perhaps unsurprisingly, the prefight prognostications are split. That said, here are some predictions from those fighters and experts who know these boxers better than most anybody else.
