DEONTAY WILDER has revealed he had a broken hand during his first fight with Tyson Fury.
The Bronze Bomber’s famous right has KOed nearly everybody in his path and he has vowed to use it again to put the Gypsy King asleep in their rematch on February 22.
Deontay Wilder says he had a broken hand during his first fight with Tyson FuryCredit: Reuters
The two men fought out an epic but controversial draw back in December 2018Credit: PA:Press Association
WBC heavyweight champ Wilder fought out a controversial draw with Fury back in December 2018, with the Brit surviving two knockdowns in the tenth and 12th round to take the American the distance for just the second time in his career.
But ahead of the highly-anticipated second fight at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, the title holder says he went into the last one with a limited arsenal.
He said: “In that first fight I was probably 50 per cent or less.
“I’ve spoken before about my broken hand, but I also didn’t fight like I normally do. I did a lot of things I don’t normally do.
“When I look back at that fight, me and my trainer Jay Deas were talking about it and I can pinpoint things and say ‘why did I do that?’.
“I know why I did it, moving forward with my gloves high, swinging with no hope, just doing certain things because of the excitement of the fight.
“I felt like I had an opportunity at that moment in time to put the heavyweight division and America on notice.
“That meant a lot to me because when I was coming up, no-one in America knew who I was.
“Now I’m ready to do the proper things that need to be done. I’ve lived that moment of excitement and I can’t wait.
“This time I’m going to knock him out and he won’t get up. This is unfinished business.”
Since then Wilder has extended his undefeated run to 42-0-1 by knocking out Dominic Breazeale and Luis Ortiz.
And the 34-year-old’s coach, Jay Deas, says it was the star’s improved footwork and set-ups that led to his brutal shots in both bouts.
He said: “We do what we call a six-month test. Every six months we ask ourselves, would you right now beat you from six months ago?
“I can answer 100 per cent honestly since the beginning of the first day he came into the gym that answer has been yes.
“Him now beats him from six months ago. He keeps getting better and better and smarter and refined.
“The thing that people don’t really get, the timing, the distance, the spacing, all those things that allow you to land those big punches, that’s skill.
“What Deontay does he puts himself in a position to land those shots and that takes more skill than people can sometimes comprehend.
“His improvement just continues and continues and he wants to learn. He’s still hungry to get better and better.”
Behind the scenes with Deontay Wilder as he trains for the Tyson Fury rematch
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
