Tyson Fury survived a final-round knockdown as he was forced to settle for a draw with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in Los Angeles.
Fury clambered up from the canvas and seemed to have done enough to earn a points win, with judge Robert Tapper scoring it 114-112 in his favour, but Alejandro Rochin made it 115-111 for Wilder, and the 113-113 from British official Phil Edwards resulted in a split decision draw.
The 30-year-old had earlier defied fears about his long break from boxing, frustrating the American with his jab until he was floored in the ninth round, and Fury somehow made it through the 12th after being dumped heavily on his back.
Fury says he is not sure how he got back up from being knocked down twice by Wilder, but believes he had 'the hand of God' upon him
Both fighters are now expected to meet again in a rematch, delaying a potential bout between Wilder and unified champion Anthony Joshua for the right to become the undisputed champion.
Wilder had Fury down in the final round
During a frenetic opener, Wilder unloaded an early left hook on Fury, who responded with a crisp right hand in the closing seconds and raised his gloves in approval.
Spitting out a string of jabs, Fury started to settle in the second round and rammed in a right hand after a bout of showboating in the third.
Wilder edged forward menacingly in the fourth to deliver a crisp right hand, but Fury continued to frustrate the Alabama man with his stiff jab in the fifth.
A swelling around Wilder's right eye was a clear sign of Fury's accurate work in the sixth, while the 'Gypsy King' landed his right hand with regularity in the seventh.
With the fight drifting away from Wilder, he swung desperate punches at the end of the eighth, but the 'Bronze Bomber' exploded into life in the ninth as a chopping right hand sent Fury to the canvas.
Fury stood firm, sticking out his tongue defiantly at the end of the 10th, but after staying out of danger in the 11th, he had to withstand a brutal right hand from Wilder, which salvaged the champion's title on the scorecards.
Wilder edged forward menacingly in the fourth to deliver a crisp right hand, but Fury continued to frustrate the Alabama man with his stiff jab in the fifth.
A swelling around Wilder's right eye was a clear sign of Fury's accurate work in the sixth, while the 'Gypsy King' landed his right hand with regularity in the seventh.
With the fight drifting away from Wilder, he swung desperate punches at the end of the eighth, but the 'Bronze Bomber' exploded into life in the ninth as a chopping right hand sent Fury to the canvas.
Fury stood firm, sticking out his tongue defiantly at the end of the 10th, but after staying out of danger in the 11th, he had to withstand a brutal right hand from Wilder, which salvaged the champion's title on the scorecards.
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