Tyson Fury has played down renewed accusations from Deontay Wilder after the former WBC champion claimed the Brit cheated in two of their three heavyweight title fights.
The comments resurface years after one of boxing’s defining trilogies, but arrive at a moment when Fury and Wilder are moving in very different directions.
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The rivals shared the ring three times between 2018 and 2021, producing a controversial draw, a dominant Fury stoppage, and an unforgettable knockout finale that appeared to settle the rivalry decisively.
Wilder, who has struggled to regain momentum since those defeats, reignited the feud while promoting his upcoming bout with Derek Chisora.
The American claimed he had proof of wrongdoing and suggested that Fury should be sued for defamation if his allegations were false.
“He didn’t whoop me twice at all,” Wilder told Ring Magazine.
“I’m telling you what I know. You’re only seeing what you saw – he didn’t win nothing, they gave it to him. I can’t think of our third fight, but in two of them, he definitely cheated.
“I’ve got proof and evidence of that. When I do my documentary and movie about it, it’s going to be presented. I’m going to bring the people, and the artefacts, I know.
“Why do you think he can’t come back to America?
“The man cheated. He’s the biggest cheater in boxing history. If I’m lying, then please tell him to sue me for defamation of character so that I have the proof. I can’t wait.
“Being a black man with dark skin is harder to believe than being a white man. And in that first fight with the referee — that’s white supremacy.
“You know what he did? He said, ‘what’s best for boxing.’ No, your job is to count his a** out. He gave him an extra 15 count. It is what it is. I speak with truth, heart, and passion.”
Fury’s dismissal of the claims comes just weeks after he ended a brief retirement, having initially stepped away from boxing following his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk late last year.
The 36-year-old announced his return in January, confirming he would resume his career.
Fury shuts down allegations as focus shifts to April return
Speaking after consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, Fury rejected the idea of engaging in conspiracy claims, drawing a clear contrast between his outlook and Wilder’s.
“In my last two fights, I didn’t get the results I was after,” Fury said on Instagram.
“Oleksandr got the results over me, and fair play to him and his team and everybody around him.
“They were life lessons, in this life, you don’t always get what you want or what you think you did enough to get.
“But that’s where it stays.
“You don’t hear me crying and moaning about it, saying: ‘Oh my god, he cheated’.
“That’s not me, and there’s no point in crying over spilt milk.”
The former champion is set to return to the ring against Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11, a fight that offers him the chance to reset in a heavyweight division now shaped by Usyk’s reign.
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For Wilder, the stakes are far higher, as losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang have left his position in the heavyweight hierarchy fragile, making the Chisora fight a must-win if he is to remain part of the elite conversation.
While Wilder looks back in search of answers, Fury appears intent on moving on.
Unless results force the rivalry back into relevance, the debate may finally fade as the heavyweight division evolves without one of boxing’s most combustible feuds.
This article first appeared on DAZN.com and was reproduced with permission.
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