Tyson Fury is the heavyweight champion of the world after defeating Wladimir Klitschko by unanimous points decision on one of the greatest nights in British boxing history

• Englishman Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko by unanimous points decision on a sensational night in Germany
• The 27-year-old shone throughout the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight title bout in Dusseldorf on Saturday night
• Fury didn’t allow Klitschko to settle and the Ukrainian looked rattled, refusing to throw his right hand properly 
• The Mancunian – a 4/1 underdog – baffled Klitschko with a measured fight in which he utilised his height and youth
• For Fury there is now the prospect of a huge unification bout with American holder of the WBC title, Deontay Wilder

The Gypsy King of England is amazingly, wonderfully, sensationally – and tearfully – the new heavyweight champion of the world.

Tyson Fury ended the decade-long reign of the great Wladimir Klitschko with a display of astonishing nerve and virtuosity – just as he said he would.

It was the biggest shock in boxing since James Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson 25 years ago as he inflicted Kitschko’s first defeat since 2004 to win the IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles.

The 27-year-old Mancunian giant made the near-40-year-old Klitschko look slow and old with elusive daring, his impudent taunting and, above all, with his quickness of hand and foot.

But it wasn’t simply the Ukrainian hitting the age barrier which has opened a rich world of opportunity to the man who would be happier living in a traveller’s caravan than a mansion.

As is custom, Fury burst into song in the ring after winning.

What preceded that was a phenomenal effort and a richly deserved triumph against heavy betting odds.

Fury had talked the talk for months and he didn’t just walk the walk, he danced the dance.

Klitschko struggled all night to catch up with him and although there were rounds which Fury let slip by failing to throw enough punches, his triumph was for unorthodox valiance.

Both men were generous to the other at the end.

Fury may have to do it all again as it is believe there is a re-match clause in the contract.

Perhaps back in Germany if that proves to be the best commercial prospect. Although Wembley Stadium would fill for this one.

Whether Kitschko would want to go through all the frustration again is another matter.

He could retire.

For Fury, who now holds all those treasured belts, there is the prospect of a huge unification bout with American holder of the WBC title, Deontay Wilder.

Fury thanked Jesus. Klitschko admitted: ‘I couldn’t land by jab or my big right.’

That says it all.

It was just above freezing in Dusseldorf but the roof firmly closed over the Esprit Arena and the carpet covering the football turf ensured a hot night, at least so far as the temperature within was concerned.

This was a welcome change from Hamburg three years ago when Klitschko beat David Haye as icy winds swirled teeming rain around the canopy covering the ring, soaking the rest of us.

Generating a fight to match the heat of the great indoors was up to Fury and Klitschko but they had a comfortable environment in which to work.

A second threat by Fury to pull out of the biggest night of his life had also given him the foothold he wanted in the ring. A protest, supported by the British Boxing Board of Control, secured the removal of a thick layer of foam from under the canvas which gave the floor of the ring the impression of a bouncy castle, which would have put a man of Fury’s vast size at risk of a twisted ankle.

Fury said he had ‘never been in a ring so spongy’. He won that appeal, as he had already prevailed with his demand to wear his preferred gloves.

So the big fight went ahead, with Fury having just been told by his wife, Paris, that she is expecting their third child. Despite being pregnant she was at ringside wearing a jacket emblazoned with silver dollar motifs, among a crowd of more than 50,000.

The rich and famous wined and dined sumptuously on one end of the pitch, in the manner to which they have become accustomed at these lavish Klitschko occasions.

There was another complaint when Team Fury discovered that Klitschko’s hands had been wrapped without their observer present. The champion duly unwrapped and re-wrapped his hands.

Rod Stewart – as well as the thousands holding up their mobile phones, as lights around the stadium in tribute to the veteran rocker – was then kept waiting for his pre-fight cameo of one song: ‘Stay With Me Tonight.’

The heated hand-wrap issue in the dressing room delayed not only rocking Rod but the fight. The vehemence of the protest might have been part of the Fury attempt to rattle Klitschko.

If so, Lennox Lewis, at ringside as an analyst for German TV, put it into perspective by saying: ‘They may be trying to unsettle him but to Wladimir, after all his fights, it will be just a delay which might make him even more determined.’

Fury advanced half-way across the ring during the national anthems to grin and grimace at Klitschko. He continued dancing and prancing about the ring during Michael Buffer’s Ready to Rumble introductions.

He answered the first bell by racing across the ring and had the best of the early exchanges, landing some exploratory left hooks. He also landed some jabs between feinting and making Klitschko miss, and won the round surprisingly comfortably.

Fury had come in light, and his foot, as well as hand, speed was bothering Klitschko. A right-left combination forced Klitschko into a clinch and Fury banked another round, to perturbed silence among the German majority in the stadium.

He began tormenting Klitschko with his Ali-esque dancing and was proving difficult for the long-time champion to hit. With Fury more concerned with bamboozling his opponent and both men missing, neither landed the punches to win the round.

The home crowd rallied behind Klitschko and he responded by moving to close quarters. Klitschko had predicted a chess match and so it was proving.

Fury broke the stalemate with a lunging charge but failed to connect properly and thereafter did not throw enough punches to prevent Klitschko stealing the round.

Fury was making the dominant heavyweight of the past decade look slow and awkward but he needed telling punches to make it count. When he tried to up the work rate he was caught by Klitschko’s first big right of the night.

Each landed heavy rights – and both took them. As did Fury when Klitschko clipped him near the end.

The Brit had been warned for punching the back of the head but now he patted him on the backside in a clinch and laughed at Klitschko. The champion could only grimace back as a cut on his left cheek, probably from a clash of heads opened wider. Again a narrow win for Fury on my card.

Fury came out without his gum-shield initially but the delay was brief and he had slightly the better of an ugly round, by courtesy of the clipping right which followed two good jabs.

His elusive movement was making it so difficult for Klitschko to land his trademark right but he was missing with his own. When Klitschko did connect heavily the home crowd came to, although Fury merely smiled.

Fury’s corner went wild when he landed a heavy right of his own but Klitschko took that, too.

Fury needed to re-impose his jab to retain control but was rocked by two in quick succession from Klitschko. More followed and Klitschhko was closing.

Klitschko came out in an urgent effort to save the titles he has held for so long. Fury was slowing somewhat and the punches he did throw were not landing cleanly.

The 39-year-old was cut again, this time above the right eye. Perhaps vitally, Fury had a point deducted by American referee Tony Weekes for punching the back of the head. That turned a winning round for Fury into an even one.

Perhaps sensing the officials might be against him, Fury went for broke in the last. Klitschko responded with a huge effort of his own and rocked Fury in the corner.

It was a grandstand finish with the crowd going willd. Two more huge blows had Tyson reeling, holding, and almost gone. It had been a tremendous effort by the giant Mancunian and I had him winning by two points.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-3337832/Tyson-Fury-heavyweight-champion-world-defeating-Wladimir-Klitschko-Esprit-Arena-Dusseldorf-one-greatest-nights-British-boxing-history.html#ixzz3swDfxdLV
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