This fight doesn't get talked about as much due to Wlad getting knocked out by Joshua in 2017, but I absolutely thought Wlad was going to win the rematch easily. All throughout the press conferences Tyson Fury seemed scared, I think this fight should of been the last big hoorah of Wlad's career instead Fury got credit for not really doing anything vs an unmotivated Wlad. Tyson was right there for the taking, his demeanor and tone was extremely shook around a motivated Wlad, even he knew he couldn't win, he was just worried about getting paid and retiring and flat out admits it in this video. This content is protected He was having cold sweats at night, he knew big daddy Wlad had his number and didn't want to encounter what a motivated Wlad would do. Fury made sure he retired for 3 years so people would forget how he cowardly ducked Wlad and blamed it on mental health. Honestly always left a bad taste in my mouth how Fury flat out refused the fight since Wlad was an established, long reining champion. This is the guy who called Haye a coward for retiring from their scheduled fight around 2013 due to having legit injuries.
You can find footage of Fury adopting almost any attitude you like. Prior to the second Wilder fight he spoke about being knocked out - if that fight had been canceled, guys who love Fury would have been posting it as proof that Fury was scared etc. But if you take Fury at his word that he was suicidal and demotivated, yes, it seems unlikely that a man that mentally ill could defeat an athlete like Wladimir Klitschko.
I agree with McGrain, I'd say Fury would have failed if he'd have fought in that state of mind. It would have changed the course of heavyweight history.
Put a microphone in front of Fury and he is liable to say anything and totally contradict himself the next day. I don't believe a word that comes out of his mouth.
I'd suggest there is little one can interpret from a person's demeanor, with any real confidence, when said person is subsequently diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. It is difficult to know just how long Fury went untreated for his mental illness, but I think it safe to assume that the downward spiral he entered into, post-Wlad, signified the beginning of something extremely severe; to the extent that his Wife stated that the diagnosis had come as a relief. (At least, they now knew they had something to treat and how to treat it.) The funny thing about the clip posted above, is that Fury alludes to his mental illness, without having been diagnosed by then, more so than he indicates any kind of fear of Wlad and/or losing. With what has become publicly known, I see no reason to think Fury was medically fit to fight Wlad in a rematch, at that time.
I think Wlad would have won the rematch too. He was the one that had been in a bad mental space for #1 and put in a lacklustre performance. The same as Fury twigged that he had to be aggressive against Wilder in the last round of their first fight, the same epiphany occurred to Wlad in the last round vs Fury. It would have been nice to see a fight between them with both fighters at 100% but I guess it was not the right time.
Vitali would have wrecked Fury. Fury is legit but VK would never lose to him. Surprised this fight did not happen.
I would of loved to see a rematch. I thought Wlad fought a very flat fight. I thought he would win going in but that belief had become routine after 10 years. Fury was better than I thought and I think a rematch would of been a much more exciting fight. I would of picked Wlad again to win. It could not have been worse than that the 1st fight. A total dud. But great game plan and execution by Fury
I think Vitali’s awkwardness and sheer strength would give Fury fits. I also think Vitali’s chin would hold up just fine against anything Fury threw. Vitali would be hunting without much worry while Fury, after getting tagged a few times with that Vitali right, would be a little more wary and on the retreat more. Not really do to his power so much, but more the accuracy and consistency Vitali had. Fury would NOT want to take too many of Vitali’s power shots. Vitali wins a comfortable UD.
Still strongly agree, what a joke Fury’s career has become lately. Wlad in 2016 would have ended the hype right there and then.
It should be noted that Wlad had to section his wife before the Fury fight because she had threatened to kill herself and their children.
"Wlad, sweetie, I don't think I've really been feeling it anymore, I'm probably gonna kill myself and our kids. Ok, love you! Bye!"