Since the rematch clause between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury has been activated within the 30-day post-fight window, the simple question of whether there should be a rematch at all becomes an unbearable elephant in the room. Of course, the outcome of this decision was no big surprise as everyone had an inkling that the Deontay Wilder camp would almost certainly want another big payday and at least the chance, albeit small, to regain the belts.
However, many fans and pundits alike have since questioned whether this rematch clause should still be valid, based on how one-sided this fight was. Looking back at the Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury II fight, we witnessed a contest in which one fighter outboxed and outpunched the other fighter. It left us as fans, happy to have one fighter beat the other so emphatically, and put to bed the controversy of the first fight that so disappointingly ended in a draw. If a K.O victory for Wilder would have happened during that first fight, few would have complained, and likewise, once the fight went the distance, the only fair result was a points win to Tyson Fury. So when the match ended in a draw, it was a let-down, to say the least.
That controversy meant that there was genuine intrigue in the build-up to the fight with many unanswered questions for both fighters, but luckily for us, those questions were answered in a way many could have never predicted, except perhaps Tyson Fury’s father…
Tyson Fury fought with aggression and bullied Wilder, giving little credence to his punching power. The result of which saw Wilder wilt, going down twice and arguably a third time with a delayed reaction. While the referee could have easily called off the fight himself, it was Wilder’s corner who threw in the towel knowing that tonight was not their night and saving Wilder from further punishment.
While this unnecessary rematch of the rematch or trilogy fight will go ahead, will we find any pundit who truly believes that Wilder will, as he says, rise from the ashes, and be victorious over Tyson Fury? Is there a real demand to see this fight? Is Deontay delusional for thinking that he can find a way to win? All these questions are lingering in the wake of the rematch clause being activated.
In any case, if he loses the trilogy fight, his legacy might be left in tatters, especially given his comments blaming his ring walk attire for his lackluster performance.