‘Crazy’: Referee accused of slow count in chaotic trilogy bout

Tyson Fury has toppled Deontay Wilder to retain the world heavyweight title, but his victory didn’t come without its controversies.

Tyson Fury won an absolute cracker. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

British boxer Tyson Fury has toppled rival Deontay Wilder to retain the WBC heavyweight world championship belt, but the victory didn’t come without its controversies.

Fury dropped Wilder in the 11th round at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena to secure a thrilling TKO win, the 32nd consecutive undefeated bout of his professional career.

But the referee has come under fire for seemingly using a slow count for the British champion when he was knocked down twice during the fourth round.

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Fury was seemingly in control of the contest until Wilder landed a trademark bomb which rocked his opponent and sent him to the canvas in a shocking shift in momentum.

The 33-year-old quickly returned to his feet, but was hearing the referee’s dreaded count for a second time when Wilder dropped him once again not long after. It suddenly looked like Fury was done for.

It was the first time Fury had been knocked down twice in a single round in his entire career.

Tyson Fury was knocked down twice in the fourth round. Photo by Tom Hogan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Fury managed to survive the round, but commentators and boxing pundits questioned the speed of the referee’s count. Boxing legend Lennox Lewis declared that Fury was given more recovery time than he should have been allowed during the standing 10-count.

UFC superstar Dustin Poirier tweeted: “That was a slow count … we gotta fight!”

Fellow UFC icon Daniel Cormier added: “The count was crazy slow! He isn’t supposed to stop counting to tell Deontay to go to his corner.”

Journalist Steven Loung wrote: “Tremendous heart from Wilder. That second knockdown count was real slow. This fight probably should be over.”

Sunday’s trilogy blockbuster has been praised as one of the greatest fights in the history of combat sport after the two titans put on arguably the best show of boxing seen this century. The fight has been compared to the immortal fights that featured Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

The Gypsy King had the fight stopped deep in the 11th round when he landed an uppercut and followed it up with a right hook that dropped Wilder to the floor for a fourth time.

Wilder was barely able to stand in the minutes prior to the stoppage, but left the world stunned as he continued to land his own punches despite standing on drunken legs.

The American has earned immense respect from the boxing world as he showed incredible heart to hang on despite Fury landing savage blows in almost all of the later rounds.

Tyson Fury is the undisputed WBC heavyweight world champion. Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Regardless, Fury is now the undisputed force of the heavyweight division despite Oleksandr Usyk still holding the other championship belts outside of the WBC belt Fury just defended.

“First of all, I’d like to say thanks to my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ,” Fury said after the triumph.

“I give him the glory, he gives me the victory.

“I was hurt, Wilder’s a strong puncher, and he’s a tough man. I was hitting him with some big shots, and my Lord and saviour rose me to my feet tonight.

“It was a great fight tonight, it was worthy of any trilogy in the history of the sport.

“He gave me a real run for my money. I’m the best in the world, and he’s the second best.”

– with Tyson Otto