Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder: What time does the fight start, TV channel, undercard, prediction, odds and more
Tyson Fury faces Deontay Wilder for the WBC world heavyweight title in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
The pair meet after first clashing outside the ring in 2013, where Wilder knocked Audley Harrison out in Sheffield before the heavyweight pair said they would take each other on in a fight in the future.
Fury will look to claim the one major title that has evaded his career thus far, the WBC title, in what would be his greatest win since his Düsseldorf fight of the year against Wladimir Klitschko in which he outpointed the then dominant champion before taking a break and facing suspension from the sport.
Wilder is the odds on favourite to win the fight and retain his title to potentially set up an April bout with Anthony Joshua – but Fury has other ideas and is hoping to cause a shock. Here’s everything you need to know.
LIVE: Follow Fury vs Wilder from Los Angeles
When and where is the fight?
The fight takes place on Saturday night and will be at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, a venue neither fighter has fought at before.
You can expect the ring walks to take place around 4am, but as ever with boxing that is subject to change depending on how the undercard goes.
Where can I watch it and how much are tickets?
The fight will be shown live on BT Sport Box Office, and it'll be the biggest event the broadcaster has shown since introducing boxing to its channels.
It will be available to viewers at a cost of £19.95.
Ticket prices begin at $170 and reach as high as $2,900. So if you want to see this one, you're going to have to cough up.
What’s at stake?
The only major belt in professional boxing that has evaded Tyson Fury. The WBC world heavyweight title, which has been in Wilder's hands for little under four years, when he beat Bermane Stiverne on points to take the strap home.
What are their records?
Neither man has lost a single professional fight. Combined, the two are 67-0.
Wilder's record stands at 40 fights, 40 victories with 39 by way of knockout. He has knocked out every single man he's been in the ring with, only going the distance once in his career (against Stiverne who he later made light work of in just one round).
The American has been mocked for the level of opponent that he's faced throughout his career but a devastating knockout win over Luis Ortiz in March helped put such criticism to bed.
Fury is two fights into his comeback after spending two-and-a-half years out of the ring, and many have said that his fight against Wilder is coming too early into the return after easy wins over Albanian Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta.
The Gypsy King has a perfect record of 27 fights, 27 victories with 19 inside the distance. In 2015 he won the unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, The Ring magazine and lineal heavyweight titles, after beating long-reigning world champion Wladimir Klitschko.
If he manages to beat Wilder in December, he will have caused arguably the two biggest upsets in boxing history.
What have they been saying?
Fury on Wilder's ring resume: "Stiverne, a small heavyweight who was old and finished. Johann Duhaupas, a Frenchman that has no ability but tries hard. Wilder didn’t hurt him once in the fight.
“Eric Molina, a school teacher who got lucky - took him nine rounds to get rid of him. Artur Szpilka, who’s lost all his fights by knockout even up until today; a bit of movement and he gave him problems.
“Gerald Washington, a football player with a bit of a jab; he gave him problems for five rounds until he landed - not a boxer though.
“Then there was [Luis] Ortiz who forgetting his age, was a good man, but we know father time catches up with everybody.”
Wilder on his legacy: “Forget the money. I'm rich and I'm lucky but that's because I have things that money can't buy: love, peace, happiness.
“I was always meant to be like this. I was prepared for this moment. I just think this is part of the process – it's just the beginning of what I'm going to do.
“It's just a gathering of the people. It's crazy. People really listen. I want men to see that you don't have to be tough all the time. You don't have to have this persona. You can show a sensitive side. It's ok to say you love someone. I show a sensitive, caring side. I show you can be silly or goofy and still do what you want to do. People see that.
“I would hate to be on the outside of boxing, running round like I do now, chanting, saying I'm the baddest man on the planet. I don't want to do that. That's not me, that's not Deontay Wilder's personality. Deontay's personality just likes to be free, we have fun. I'm at peace.”
What is the full fight schedule?
Jarrett Hurd vs Jason Wellborn
Luis Ortiz vs Travis Kauffman
Joe Joyce vs Joe Hanks
Mark Anthony Barriga vs Carlos Licona
Chris Arreola vs Maurenzo Smith
Isaac Lowe vs TBC
Anthony Yarde vs TBC
Marsellos Wilder vs TBC
Jesse Rodriguez vs Alex Aragon
What are the odds?
Wilder to win: 4/6
Fury to win: 11/8
Draw: 25/1
