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Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury show off vastly different physiques at festive weigh-in

Todd Westphal/Special for The Ring
Fighters Network
30
Nov

LOS ANGELES — The Brits were out in full force as always.

Tyson Fury’s loyal supporters cheered him on at Friday’s weigh-in at the L.A. Convention Center, a stone’s throw away from the site of Saturday’s heavyweight championship clash against Deontay Wilder.

Gone was Fury’s bushy beard, and in its place stubble. Gone, too, are all the extra pounds Fury gained during his hiatus from the ring. The Gypsy King, sporting American flag short-shorts tipped the scales at 256 1/2 pounds, his lowest weight since he upset Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 to grab the lineal heavyweight championship (he was 247 for that outing.)



Wilder, wearing a mask that covered his mouth in the style of the Batman villain Bane, came in at the second-lowest weight of his career: 212.5 pounds. The last time he weighed so little: his pro debut at 207 1/4 pounds.

The WBC titleholder weighed 229 pounds for his first title defense, a ninth-round knockout of Eric Molina in June 2015. He’s weighed in the 220s for all but his last title defense, a 10th-round come-from-behind TKO of Luis Ortiz. Wilder weighed just 214 3/4 pounds, but his reduced size was explained by a bout with the flu during fight week.

Still, Wilder sported an impressive physique, chiseled at 6 feet 7 inches. He’ll be the shorter man for a chance; Fury is 6 feet 9 inches. He ballooned to nearly 400 pounds during his two-and-a-half-years away from the sport. So it’s no surprise that even at 256 1/2 pounds, he’s flubby.

Following Wednesday’s explosive news conference where a fracas spilled out, the California commission didn’t allow the fighters to stand face to face. Instead, Fury hurled insults at Wilder from a distance while his supporters showed Wilder with chants of “dosser” and “Who are you?”

Wilder plans to answer that question in emphatic fashion Saturday. Fury will be looking to complete one of the greatest comebacks in recent memory.

Showtime Pay-Per-View undercard weights

Junior middleweight championship bout

Jarrett Hurd – 152

Jason Welborn – 152

10-round heavyweight bout

Luis Ortiz – 241

Travis Kauffman – 229

10-round heavyweight bout

Joe Joyce – 262

Joe Hanks – 247

 

Mike Coppinger is the Senior Writer for RingTV.com. Follow him on Twitter: @MikeCoppinger

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