Dusseldorf, Germany – Former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko demanded a rematch minutes after losing his four world titles to British challenger Tyson Fury on Saturday in a stunning unanimous points decision.
The 39-year-old Ukrainian suffered his fourth career loss and first in 11 years with 27-year-old Fury outpunching a tired-looking Klitschko over 12 rounds in front of a crowd of 50,000 at the Esprit Arena.
“There will be a rematch,” Klitschko, whose record now stands at 64 wins and four defeats, said in a ringside interview. “It is still early and I have to process things but there will definitely be a rematch.”
“I was well prepared for this fight but he was quick for his height.”
Fury, at 2.06m, 8cm taller than his opponent, kept Klitschko at bay with the champion unable to unleash his lethal right and reduced to jabbing away with his left whenever he managed to get within striking distance and doing little damage.
“I never believed he would do it but he did. I was lacking speed and he was quick. I just could not find the right distance,” Klitschko said. “His reach bothered me. I tried it but it just did not happen.”
The three judges gave Fury a unanimous points decision after 12 rounds.
“Wladimir deserves a rematch,” Vitali Klitschko, also a former heavyweight champion, who was in his brother’s corner said. “It is up to him to decide what he wants to do. He has to analyse things. He will come back stronger after this defeat. He always does.”
– REUTERS