NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with boxing analyst Frank Lotierzo.

Our discussion focused on the most important fight both in the heavyweight division and in boxing in general this year, the February 22 rematch between undefeated fighters Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. This fight will be shown on pay-per-view and streamed live in several countries, and take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

We spoke with Frank Lotierzo by phone Wednesday.

Calling this fight "unfinished business" because of the highly controversial split draw outcome of the first Wilder-Fury fight in December 2018, he said, like the great majority of observers, that he thought Fury deserved to win that fight on points. But the rematch, he argued, may end differently if Fury's skills have declined more than Wilder's have since then. He did add that Wilder is often viewed as "a one-trick pony" whose sole effective weapon is a right hand thrown from the right distance, meaning that Fury's best hope is box, move, and elude that right hand for 12 full rounds.

We discussed why the outcome of this evenly-matched fight is hard to predict, the various scenarios of how this fight might play out and differ from their first fight, why Fury's boasting that he will knock out Wilder is one of the least likely outcomes, what each fighter has to do to win, how Fury possibly coming in at a heavier weight than he did for their first fight may affect him, what a victory for either fighter will mean for boxing and the heavyweights, why Anthony Joshua should be ringside for this fight to challenge the winner, and much, much more.

(Photo of Wilder and Fury from Mikey Williams/Top Rank.)

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Labels: boxing, Deontay Wilder, Eddie Goldman, Frank Lotierzo, heavyweight, No Holds Barred, rematch, Tyson Fury