By Norm Frauenheim-
LAS VEGAS – Tyson Fury stepped onto the official scale four pounds heavier for his third fight Saturday night with Deontay Wilder than he was for his victory in their rematch.
Fury didn’t take off his shirt or his black hat. Both might have weighed more than four pounds. But Fury was in no mood to pose – or perhaps expose a soft belly – after his weight was announced at 277 at Friday’s weigh-in. He only wanted to taunt and promise.
He did that, with a series of off-the-scale threats at Wilder, who was seven pounds heavier (238) than he was for his rematch loss (231).
The weight, Fury said, “means total obliteration of the Dosser.’’
Wilder stood and stared back through glasses dark enough to hide what had to be a darkening intent.
Wilder is seeking vengeance in an attempt to regain the World Boxing Council’s heavyweight title defense Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in a Fox/ESPN pay-per-view bout.
Fiury was at 273 pounds 19 months ago when he dominated Wilder in a seventh-round stoppage for the WBC belt.
A heavier Fury was no surprise. He had hinted repeatedly that he had added pounds. But he was from the 290 that been speculated during the days before the weigh-in.
Both fighters have been climbing up the scale throughout the trilogy.
Fury was 16.5 pounds heavier for the rematch than he was for their first fight, a draw, in December 2018 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
That’s when a 256.6-pound Fury got up from two knockdowns. Wilder was at 212.5 for the first fight.
A heavier Fury proved to be more effective in the rematch. The added weight allowed him to suffocate Wilder with size and early aggression. The tactic forced Wilder to retreat. Wilder, who has never shown he can fight off his back foot, was never able to land his big right.
Fury goes into the third fight promising to stop Wilder earlier than he did in the second fight.
Fury might have to. If the fight goes into the late rounds, he might tire, make a mistake and walk into a deadly right hand that Wilder calls “the power of God.’’
