Fury Battles A Tough 12-Rounds, Decision A Gamed Wallin.
BY Scottie “The Context” White
Las Vegas – Treated to an awakening of a dolly-brook from an under estimated Otto Wallin (20-1, 13 KOs, 1 NC), who definitely inserted his share of suspenseful intrigue to his south paw technical guise. His opponent Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) was a 25-1 favorite Saturday at MGM Grand’s.
The T-Mobile center hosted Tyson Fury against previous unbeaten Wallin. A bout for which Fury didn’t have an easy go last night, primarily b/c Otto came in a Wallin as if he was vying for an upset of the year award. Fury contest with Wallin didn’t close inside the limit but Wallin may indeed pushed the action enough to place concern in the corner of his team just a bit. This Heavyweight dominion has already sent fans reeling from one of the biggest upsets to the boxing annals early this year, Andy Ruiz dismantling former unified champion Anthony Joshua in seven frames 6/201. So when fans settled into what their eyes were processing, may have perked up a bit in saying “Oh what do we have here, not Fury too?” Wallin seemed to be game from the onset, he faired well versus the lineal champion Fury, who was in his first fight back since facing WBC power hitter Deontay Wilder.
Fury ring-walk to a shivoo of Mexican independence garbed from head to toe displaying the radiant Mexican colors of green,white, red as he split the ropes for a 12-round boxing fiesta. The contention embroiled a higher temperature of exchanges before the thousands in attendance were expecting. Initially the social media pundits were belting a headbutt to their impulsive reasoning seeing Fury sustain a tandem of surgical cuts over his right eye from well place punches courtesy of Wallin.
One was deep, a gaping gash over Fury right eye left the Red Cross perturb in their absence to collect two or three pints from Fury blood drive. Fury use his experience pushing him through to the final frame in ticking away a respectable performance of his headlining showcase. At no time did Fury place the fight in limbo as if he was faltering on the score cards. The action which ensued, frenetic the crowd in attendance for a riveting shake up in the 12th round when Wallin seemed to rattle Fury a bit but to little to late for the gamed Swedish boxer who left it in the hands of the judges.
Judges Don Trella (116-112), Eric Cheek (117-111) and Tim Cheatham (118-110), all tallied the scoring favor for, and still, the undefeated lineal champion, Fury keeps his bid open for his scheduled high stakes, high risk, and fulminating rematch with Fury secured his place in a contracted rematch with WBC champion Deontay Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs). A contest inked for the eve of February 2020, a bout for which Fury fought well in keeping it close during their heavyweight fire fight. Wilder would canvas Fury twice during the fight with a pair of conscious altering engagements in the ninth and 12th round respectfully, rendering the cards to a split draw under the bright lights of the Staples Center, Los Angeles.
Fury had this to say post fight ESPN’s Bernard Osuna “It was a great fight, You know, I got caught early on with the inside of the glove, on the eyelid, which cut the eye, changed the fight completely. For a majority of the fight, I couldn’t see out me [right] eye. And then southpaw-orthodox clash, clashed heads and gave me a second cut. I’ve not seen the cut, but it feels quite bad. But, you know, I am a gypsy warrior! This is Mexican Independence Day! Come on, Mexico! Viva Mexico!”
Following the bout, Wallin kept it brief in saying “I tried my best, and Tyson is a great champion.” Fury’s gaping cut was from a punch delegated in the third round. An important note per the regulation with Association of Boxing Commission’s rules, If the bout was stopped, the results would have declared Wallin the winner via technical-knockout.
Wallin faired well for returning from a year hiatus, absent of any active in-ring competition. His last active bout reflected to April 2018, he defeated Nick Kisner who amassed a similar cut in the first round that rendered the fight being called inside the limit in their 10-rounder showcase in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Fury final words to the fans – “Big congratulations to Otto and I just wanna say rest in peace to his father,” Fury said, referring to the May 22 death of Wallin’s dad, Carl. “I know he’d be very, very proud of the performance that Otto Wallin just did. That’s a great Swede! The Viking Warrior!”
CompuBox reads at follow- Fury 179-of-651 total punches vice Wallin connecting on 127-of-334. Equity of power punches (127-of-362 to 84-of-169) and jabs (52-of-289 to 43-of-165) all favoring the handiwork of Fury.