Fury batters Schwarz, eyes Wilder rematch

LAS VEGAS: Unbeaten British heavyweight Tyson Fury outclassed Germany’s Tom Schwarz to score a victory by second-round technical knockout Saturday.

Fury, determined to put on a show on his Las Vegas debut, overwhelmed Schwarz with a dazzling display of ringcraft before unloading in the second round at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The flamboyant 30-year-old had established his dominance early, rocking Schwarz repeatedly with a series of stiff left jabs in the opening round that rapidly reddened the previously unbeaten German fighter’s face.

In the second round Fury bamboozled Schwarz by switching to southpaw, once again landing blows on his less experienced opponent with ease. Fury had Schwarz on the canvas after uncorking a crisp right-left combination, blood pouring from the German fighter’s nose.

He then cornered Schwarz and unfurled a series of unopposed punches that left referee Kenny Bayless no option but to wave an end to the fight.“The key tonight was to enjoy myself,” Fury said afterwards. “I used the jab, I was slipping and sliding.”

“I came here to have fun and put on a show for Las Vegas and I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did,” added Fury, who had entered the ring wearing a Stars and Stripes-themed costume to the strains of James Brown’s “Living in America.”

“I felt like it was my coming out party,” Fury added. “I wanted to show a few things to the American public to introduce myself properly. And tonight I showed a little bit of speed, boxing skill, an ability to slip and slide and most importantly, to finish.”

The win saw Fury improve to 28-0-1 with 20 knockouts and will heighten demand for a rematch against undefeated WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. Fury and Wilder fought an epic battle in their first meeting in Los Angeles last December, when Fury famously got up from a 12th round knockdown to earn a draw.

Fury said after his win on Saturday that his camp is planning one more fight, either in late September or early October, before a rematch with Wilder early in 2020.

Fury’s US promoter, legendary boxing impresario Bob Arum, suggested a rematch with Wilder could surpass the earnings records set by Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather’s 2015 bout.

Arum said that next year’s likely rematch with Wilder would take place in Las Vegas.

Fury’s win came a fortnight after Britain’s WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was stunned by Andy Ruiz Jr. in a massive upset in New York.“There was three horses in the heavyweight division, and then there were two,” Fury said, referring to Joshua’s defeat. “Deontay Wilder is coming. It’s going to happen.”