You’ve seen the highlights. The 12th-round resurrection in Los Angeles. The blood-red suit in Las Vegas. The brutal, swaying knockout that ended it all in the third fight. But when you listen to Tyson Fury on Deontay Wilder today, in 2026, the tone has shifted from toxic rivalry to something way more somber. It's kinda tragic, actually.
The Gypsy King recently made it clear: he thinks those three fights took a decade off both their lives. And honestly? He might be right.
Why Tyson Fury on Deontay Wilder isn't just about the wins
Most people focus on the scorecards. They talk about the 2-0-1 record Fury holds over the Bronze Bomber. But if you ask Fury himself, the "victory" feels different now that the dust has settled. Speaking at an event in Istanbul not long ago, Fury admitted it’s "sad to see" what’s happened to Wilder lately.
Wilder isn’t the same.
Since that third war in 2021—a fight where both men were dropped like sacks of potatoes—Wilder has looked like a shell of the guy who used to delete people with one right hand. He lost to Joseph Parker. He got sparked by Zhilei Zhang. Fury’s take is pretty blunt: the trilogy "completely ended" Wilder's career at the elite level.
It’s a heavy thing to hear from the man who actually did the damage.
The physics of the "Thunderbolt" right hand
Wilder’s power wasn’t a myth. It was a statistical anomaly. He came into their first fight in 2018 with a 98% knockout ratio. Think about that. Almost every single person who stood across from him ended up looking at the ceiling.
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Fury, standing 6’9” and weighing in at a massive 277 lbs for the later fights, says his size is the only reason he’s still standing. He’s gone on record saying that if Wilder lands that shot on a "normal" heavyweight—someone around 225 lbs—they’re "nailed to the canvas."
But Fury isn't normal.
The night everything changed: Fight 3 details
If you want to understand the current relationship between these two, you have to look at October 9, 2021. This was the "sweetest victory" for Fury, but also the most traumatic. He only had about four weeks of real training because his daughter, Athena, was incredibly ill right before camp. He was living in a hospital, then hopped on a plane to fight the hardest puncher in history.
The stats from that night are insane:
- 150 total punches landed by Fury (the most ever against Wilder).
- 114 power shots from the Gypsy King.
- 5 total knockdowns between the two of them.
Wilder was out on his feet by the 10th round. He was just a zombie leaning on the ropes, still trying to find that one-shot equalizer. When Fury finally landed the hook in the 11th, it wasn't just a knockout; it was an ending.
Does Wilder still hate Fury?
For a long time, the answer was a resounding yes. Wilder came up with every excuse in the book. The costume was too heavy (he wore a 40-lb spiked suit to the ring in the second fight). The gloves were loaded. His water was spiked. His trainer, Mark Breland, was a "double agent."
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It was a lot.
But as of 2026, things have cooled. Fury has been surprisingly empathetic. He’s urged Wilder to retire, saying, "I'd like to see him retire for sure before he does damage to himself." That’s a far cry from the "big dosser" insults of 2018. It’s the talk of two old soldiers who realize they pushed each other too far.
What most people get wrong about the rivalry
The common narrative is that Fury just "schooled" Wilder because he’s a better boxer. While he is a better technician, that ignores the sheer mental toll. Fury has admitted he was "pretty pissed off" about having to fight Wilder a third time after a court arbitration blocked his undisputed fight with Anthony Joshua.
He didn't want the fight. He had to "man up" and do it.
Also, people forget how close Wilder came to winning the first one. That 12th round in 2018 is still the most famous moment in modern boxing. Fury was flat on his back. His eyes were rolled back. The referee, Jack Reiss, started counting. Somehow, at the count of nine, the Gypsy King just... rose.
Wilder’s face in that moment said it all. He looked like he’d seen a ghost.
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The current status of the "Gypsy King" and "Bronze Bomber"
Where are they now? Well, it’s complicated.
- Tyson Fury: He’s still active, though he’s toyed with retirement more times than we can count. After his losses to Oleksandr Usyk, he's looking at a massive trilogy of his own with the Ukrainian in April 2026.
- Deontay Wilder: He’s struggling. Despite a recent win against Tyrrell Herndon in 2025, he’s no longer in the title conversation. He’s 40 years old. The speed is gone. The "dynamite" is still there, but he can't find the fuse anymore.
Actionable insights for boxing fans
If you're following the heavyweight scene, here is the reality of the post-Wilder/Fury era:
- Watch the punch stats, not the hype: If you re-watch their fights, look at the body work. Fury neutralized Wilder by leaning his 270-lb frame on him and hitting the stomach. It’s a blueprint every fighter has used against Wilder since.
- The "Shadow" effect: Don't expect "vintage" performances from either man anymore. That trilogy was a physical tax that they are both paying now.
- Legacy vs. Longevity: Appreciate the 2018-2021 window for what it was—the last great heavyweight rivalry where two guys in their prime actually fought three times.
The story of Tyson Fury on Deontay Wilder is basically a cautionary tale. It shows that you can win the battle and still lose a part of yourself in the process. Fury got the belts and the glory, but even he looks at Wilder now and sees a reflection of the war they both went through.
The rivalry is over. The respect, though late and begrudging, is finally there.
To keep up with Fury’s next move, watch the updates for the April 2026 Wembley showdown against Usyk. That will likely be the final chapter for the man who survived the Bronze Bomber.