Boxing history is littered with some truly incredibly fight trilogies, from the likes of Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier to the legendary Marcos Antonio Barrera’s gruelling contests with Erik Morales.
WBC champion Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder will hope to add their own trilogy to this iconic list of boxing fight trilogies when they meet again yet for a third time on Saturday, 9 October 2021, when the third encounter between these two heavyweights takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Nevada.
At the time of this writing, boxing fans and betting enthusiastic can access some free bet offers for Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder III, but what are the current odds for the content and who’s likely to prevail?
Chapter III of Fury vs Wilder – The Bookies Favourite to win
Unsurprisingly, it’s the unbeaten Fury (30-0-1) who’s the leading bookmakers’ favourite, at an average price of ⅓.
There’s a good reason for this too: with Fury having beaten Wilder (42-1-1) via technical knockout in their second encounter in February, dominating the bout on the front foot while also dropping the American three times in a spectacular performance.
It’s also arguable that Tyson edged their first fight in December 2018, with Wilder earning a controversial draw thanks to two late knockouts as the Mancunian tired after more than two years out of action.
Conversely, Wilder can be backed at around 9/4 to reclaim his WBC title, with the dethroned champion apparently more focused than ever before and pledging to adopt a different approach to the fight under the tutelage of new trainer Malik Scott.
Despite the comprehensive nature of his defeat in the second fight, such odds may be a tempting bet for some punters, especially when you consider Wilder’s explosive right hand and the fact that he’s previously knocked down Fury heavily.
Odds to BetOn’s Preview – Can Deontay Wilder Finally Talk the Talk?
The buildup to the third fight has been decidedly less bombastic than the previous two, with this partially attributable to the minimal notice given following the Wilder camp’s successful arbitration.
However, Wilder has also cut a less talkative and more serious figure during the pair’s press conferences, refusing to engage with Fury’s mind games or even listen to his opponent’s often cutting verbal barbs.
It’s hard to tell whether this approach will aid Wilder’s chances of success, but trainer Scott has certainly suggested that his charge is incredibly focused on the task in hand. He has also hinted that the Bronze Bomber will change his approach for the third fight, as he embraces a ‘back to basics’ approach that’s focused on his jab and fundamental footwork.
Both of these elements were decidedly absent from the Wilder gameplan during the first two fights, in which he was overly reliant on his explosive right hand and seemingly unable to fight effectively on the back foot (especially when exposed to Fury’s relentless pressure).
While such an approach makes logical sense in terms of remaining in the bout and laying the foundations from which he can successfully throw his right hand, the question that remains is whether Wilder is skilled or agile enough to adopt it against an opponent as formidable as Fury?
Certainly, the ‘Gypsy King’ has comfortably outboxed Wilder in both contests to date, initially on the back front during their controversial draw and then on the front foot as Fury took the fight aggressively to his foe in their rematch. With this in mind, it’s genuinely hard to see how Wilder can dominate Fury or turn the tide during the third fight, especially if the latter is fully focused and prepared for the bout.
Our Prediction – Who Will Prevail?
Ultimately, all the predictions, facts and insight point to another Fury win, with the linear champion of the world poised to complete a clean sweep against the previously omnipotent Wilder.
Of course, the Bronze Bomber retains a puncher’s chance, especially given the power that exists in his right hand and the fact that this arguably remains his last chance to compete at elite level.
If Wilder is also able to improve his jab and move his feet more effectively against Fury, he can also stay in the contest for longer and allow the optimal amount of time for his right hand to land.
However, Fury is perhaps the best in class when it comes to enacting a carefully defined gameplay, while he can also react to his opponent in real-time and has always coped with whatever has been thrown at him.
This reaffirms the likelihood of a Fury win, which would cement the Gypsy King’s reputation and bring the prospect of the long-awaited Fury-Joshua unification bout one step closer.
