9 years ago

Date: 28th November 2015

Venue: ESPRIT arena, Duesseldorf, Germany

Title: WBA, IBF, WBO & IBO World Heavyweight Titles

Promoter: Tom Loeffler

Tv: HBO, RTL & Sky Sports Box Office

Wladimir Klitschko
( 64 - 3 - 0 )
Weight: 245¾ lbs

Tyson Fury
( 24 - 0 - 0 )
Weight: 247 lbs

On November 28, 2015, at the ESPRIT arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, Tyson Fury shocked the boxing world by defeating long-reigning heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko via unanimous decision. The win ended Klitschko's 11-year unbeaten streak and reign as the unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight champion.

Fury, a 27-year-old undefeated challenger from the United Kingdom, utilised his superior size, reach, and movement to outbox the 39-year-old Klitschko. The 6'9" Fury, who weighed in at 247 pounds, became the first fighter to legitimately outpoint Klitschko, who stood at 6'6" and weighed 246 pounds.

Frequent clinches and a lack of clean punching characterised the bout. Klitschko, known for his dominant jab and powerful right hand, appeared hesitant and unable to find his rhythm. The champion landed only 52 punches throughout the 12-round contest, averaging a mere 4.5 punches per round. Despite spending much of the fight backing up and feinting, Fury managed to land 86 punches, 48 of which were power shots.

Fury's awkward style and constant movement proved to be a puzzle Klitschko could not solve. The challenger frequently switched stances, kept his hands low, and even sometimes put his hands behind his back, frustrating Klitschko and preventing him from mounting any consistent offence. In the fifth round, Klitschko suffered a cut below his left eye, likely from an accidental clash of heads.

Fury grew increasingly confident as the rounds progressed, while Klitschko appeared flustered and uncertain. The champion had brief moments of success, particularly in the twelfth and final round, but they needed to be more and far between to sway the judges. Ultimately, the scorecards read 115-112, 115-112, and 116-111, all favouring Fury, crowning him the new unified heavyweight champion.

The outcome sent shockwaves through the boxing community, as Klitschko had been widely regarded as nearly unbeatable. The Ukrainian had not lost a fight since 2004 and had made 18 consecutive successful title defences. Many experts had predicted a Klitschko victory, citing his experience and technical prowess.

In the post-fight interview, an emotional Fury apologised to Klitschko for some of his behaviour leading up to the fight and praised the former champion's class and accomplishments. Klitschko, gracious in defeat, acknowledged Fury's superior performance and vowed to exercise his rematch clause.

The stunning upset victory catapulted Fury to the heavyweight division's top and marked the end of an era. Klitschko's long-standing dominance had ended, and a new, unpredictable force had emerged as the brash, outspoken Briton.

However, Fury's reign would prove to be short-lived. Contractual issues, personal struggles, and a positive test for a banned substance would keep him out of the ring for an extended period. The much-anticipated rematch with Klitschko never materialised, and Fury eventually vacated his titles.

Despite the tumultuous aftermath, Tyson Fury's victory over Wladimir Klitschko remains one of the most significant upsets in recent boxing history. It demonstrated that even the most dominant champions are not invincible and that the heavyweight landscape can change quickly.