Tyson Fury elevated himself to the summit of the boxing world with a brilliant performance to defeat Deontay Wilder in their bout in Las Vegas. The Manchester-born boxer earned redemption in the second bout between the two men, knocking out the American in the seventh round.

Fury claimed the WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles as a result of his triumph, having been denied the crowns two years ago in their meeting in Los Angeles. The 31-year-old saw his hopes of glory dashed even after getting the better of Wilder in their first bout, suffering at the hands of a controversial points’ decision that ruled the contest a draw in December 2018.

A rematch was secured for 2020, and Fury maintained his dominant form last year with victories over Tom Schwarz and Otto Walin. Therefore, Fury had momentum to take into his bout with Wilder. He was focused on the goal at hand rather than the sideshow antics of his opponent. Fury dominated the American in the MGM Grand Arena, proving his quality in the ring as the leading heavyweight in the world.

He knocked out Wilder in the seventh round with a furious barrage after breaking through his defences. While the American insisted that his defeat was down to anything other than the brilliance of Fury, the Manchester-born boxer is now the man to beat at the top of the sport. Fury and his team will now turn their attention to a possible mouth-watering duel against Anthony Joshua, with the latest boxing betting odds backing the WBC champion to defeat his compatriot, although the bout is yet to be confirmed.

Joshua’s claim to be the leading heavyweight in the world took a major blow when he suffered the first defeat of his career at the hands of Andy Ruiz Jr. The 30-year-old bounced back to reclaim his WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO titles by beating Ruiz Jr in their rematch at the end of 2019. The initial result suggests that Joshua could have been complacent after seeing a contest with Fury left off the schedule last year and underestimated the threat posed by the American.

Both Fury and Joshua will definitely not take one for granted in what could be the biggest bout in the history of British boxing – certainly, the two men will take home massive salaries. The question is, who would have the edge? Fury is unbeaten in his career and has always risen to the occasion when it has mattered the most. The 31-year-old has a solid technique and has proven to have the power, with 21 of his 30 victories coming by knockout. He has rarely been troubled in the ring and even overcame Wladimir Klitschko in a hostile environment in Germany on a points’ decision.

Joshua has been brasher and has a style that is easier on the eye. Power plays an essential part of his style, claiming 21 knockouts in his 23 wins. Whether he could undo the defences of Fury remains to be seen, especially as he would be giving up height and reach in the contest. He arguably has greater stamina than his compatriot, with Fury’s having to work extremely hard to control his weight between his fights. The bout could be scheduled for the end of the year and whatever the outcome, it’s one that will not easily be forgotten in the history of the sport, especially in Britain.