22nd February 2020. The date Tyson Fury made history and completed one of the greatest boxing comebacks in the sport's history.
Everyone has become familiar with the Brit's journey back to the top, having battled some serious demons after his notorious victory over Wladimir Klitschko back in 2015. His road to recovery has been well documented, with the Gypsy King quickly becoming a bit of a cult hero amongst British fans.
Last Saturday night, his comeback was finalised with an emphatic TKO finish over WBC Champion Deontay Wilder. Fury simply talked the talk and walked the walk with his win, after publicly promising a knockout on the night.
After being crowned champion in the most flawless way possible then, many fans have been left rather deflated following the news of a potential trilogy fight.
Any need for a trilogy?
The first bout between Fury and Wilder did, of course, end in controversy. Despite outboxing the Bronze Bomber over twelve rounds, the fight ended in a split decision draw. The two knockdowns evened out Fury's more dominant work on the night, leaving big appetite for the rematch.
Heading into last Saturday night, fans shared an established consensus as to how the fight would play out. Should Fury avoid the big hit from Wilder, he would walk out of MGM Grand victorious. Whilst this sounds like very simplistic analysis, this is the case with the Bronze Bomber.
He has been labelled as the sport's 'biggest ever puncher' through his recent performances, as all he requires is just a split second. Just ask Luis Ortiz.
Fury talked down this theory though, stating that if Wilder couldn't beat him when he was at "50%", he would have no chance the second time round. The Gypsy King promised to be more offensive and get the stoppage, living up to such claims with relative ease.
The Brit evaded any sense of danger from the American, with his quick and agile movement closing down the distance, helping him land way over double the amount of punches than his opponent. In comparison to the first bout, Fury made Wilder pay for his sloppiness, causing damage early on. The Bronze Bomber was put on the canvas in round three, with his legs failing to recover from that heavy right hand.
It was one way traffic from there, with Fury showcasing that he shares both power and precision, and not either or. He solved the worrying puzzle of Wilder, outclassing his opponent in all areas of the fight. Fans are now left unsatisfied at the thought of a trilogy, as a third fight would likely be a replica to this dominant showing from the Gypsy King.
Anthony Joshua the fight to make
When discussing Fury's next opponent, there is only one man the public want him to face - Anthony Joshua.
It's a fight that fans have been demanding for the past two years, with the potential bout being dubbed the biggest in British boxing history. With both men now holding the heavyweight titles, it's the one that makes the most sense. With Wilder quickly falling down Ring Magazine's rankings, this bout is the one that establishes the best in the world, no questions asked.
Whilst many are already giving this label to Fury, boxing fans deserve to see a unified champion. Both AJ and the resurgence of the Gypsy King have injected a sense of enjoyment back into heavyweight boxing for British fans. There should be no disputes with regards to negotiations, as both champions should be content with a fair 50/50 split.
Not only is this bout the decider for both men to establish their names as number one in the sport, but more so for the fans, who all too often have been robbed of these super fights.
Fury v AJ odds
Despite nothing being official, SkyBet are offering prices on Fury v Anthony Joshua.
The Gypsy King has been made the outright favourite at 1/2, which won't come as a surprise to many. Through wins over Klitschko and Wilder, Fury has become the the first man to defeat two champions who had ten or more defences. Many believe that nobody out there is capable of defeating the Brit, due to his versatility and range of skills that help him adopt a range of styles.
AJ has been given a relatively small underdog price of 6/4. His first defeat to Andy Ruiz still has fans casting a small shade of doubt over the 30-year-old, despite rectifying this loss with a polished performance in their rematch. It looks to be Kubrat Pulev up next though for Joshua, with a fight looking destined to be scheduled in for June time.
