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Michael Carruth: Tyson Fury camp will be more confident than Deontay Wilder's

Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury's first fight ended in a controversial draw
Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury's first fight ended in a controversial draw

Former Olympic boxing champion Michael Carruth believes Tyson Fury's camp will be more confident than Deontay Wilder's before their highly anticipated WBC Heavyweight title re-match in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The original fight ended in a controversial draw in December 2018, with Fury outboxing WBC heavyweight champion Wilder despite suffering two knockdowns, including in the final round when the British boxer appeared to be knocked out cold before returning to his feet and finishing the contest.

Carruth told RTÉ 2fm's Game On that if Fury can avoid a similar blow early on in the rematch, he has a good chance of coming out on top.

"I think if Wilder lands one early this time, it could be lights out," he said.

"But saying that again, he hit Tyson Fury with his best shot in that last round and [Fury] got up from it.

"I'm amazed how he got up from that shot. 

"I hope it's a good fight. I still think Fury will win it, probably on points, unless Wilder gets a good slap away."

The fact that Fury was able to get up and fight on after that powerful punch from Wilder will give the Manchester native confidence according to Carruth, while giving his American opponent food for thought.

"Honestly, any referee could have stopped that fight straight away when Tyson went down the way he did," he said.

"He gave him a count and then he woke up and he came through it.

"It was like it didn't happen. I've never seen a guy react like that in my whole life in boxing to get up like that and not be wobbly or anything like that and to just get back on with the rounds.

"And I think it took a lot away from Wilder as well. Because he's saying to himself, 'I'm after hitting him with my best shot and he's after getting up from that'.

"So I would say the Fury camp will be a little bit more confident than the Wilder camp."

He added that if Wilder does not end the fight within the first six rounds: "he's in trouble".

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