Tyson Fury Dominates Wach, Sets Up Potential Joshua Clash with Seventh-Round TKO

Tyson Fury Dominates Wach, Sets Up Potential Joshua Clash with Seventh-Round TKO

• ‘Gypsy King’ stops Polish veteran in Thailand, then delivers brutal message to fellow Briton: “Let’s see if he has the guts”

Tyson Fury moved one step closer to a blockbuster heavyweight showdown with Anthony Joshua after delivering a dominant seventh-round technical knockout victory over Poland’s Mariusz Wach on Friday, but the self-styled ‘Gypsy King’ immediately cast doubt on whether his long-time British rival would actually step into the ring with him. Fighting in front of approximately 1,500 spectators at the Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand, the 37-year-old former two-time world heavyweight champion systematically broke down the 46-year-old Wach until his corner pulled him out on his stool at the end of the seventh round. The bout was notably absent from television screens, with organisers reportedly reserving highlights for the third series of Netflix’s ‘At Home with the Furys’.

The contest proved to be a training exercise for Fury, who weighed in at 265lbs—some 26.4lbs lighter than the Polish veteran, who tipped the scales at 291.4lbs. Despite the weight disadvantage, Fury used his superior reach and speed to dictate proceedings from the opening bell, switching between orthodox and southpaw stances to confuse his opponent. Wach, who has now lost 11 of his last 17 bouts dating back to 2017, managed to land an early shot in the second round but soon became a human punchbag, absorbing a brutal barrage of uppercuts in the fifth round, with Fury at one stage landing five in a row. As the bell rang to end the seventh round, Wach stumbled wearily to his stool and remained there, his corner deciding they had seen enough.

READ ALSO:

• Oluwo Urges Youths to Pair Degrees with Skills, Commends Westland University’s Excellence
• Troops, Hunters Arrest Five Suspected Kidnappers, Seize Weapons in Yobe
• “No Governor Has Such Power” – MC Oluomo Fires Back at Gov Adeleke Over Osun NURTW Ban

Fury, who has now secured his second win in as many contests this year following his unanimous points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April, was characteristically blunt when assessing the likelihood of finally facing Joshua, questioning the size of his rival’s courage and telling reporters: “It’s how big his balls are! I think he’s a big s*******.” He added: “I got through my test tonight. Let’s see if he gets through his test,” referring to Joshua’s upcoming warm-up bout against Kristian Prenga. “At Tottenham in front of 70,000 people, he never had the guts to get in the ring and face me. Let’s see if he ever does. I’m not convinced.” The 37-year-old made it clear he would not be travelling to Saudi Arabia to watch Joshua’s fight on Saturday, despite Saudi organisers reportedly arranging travel in the hope Fury would be in attendance. “Will I balls! I’m going to face off with my wife. I’m definitely not going to Jeddah, I’m going home to my wife and kids who have been supporting me from a distance,” Fury declared, adding that he had been away in training camp for ten weeks and was eager to rest and regroup, hoping that the next big fight would be signed soon.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s bout in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where Joshua faces Albanian puncher Kristian Prenga, with victory for the 36-year-old setting up the long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown with Fury. Joshua, who has not beaten an established heavyweight since getting the better of Otto Wallin in December 2023, has insisted he is fully focused on the task at hand, stating at Thursday’s news conference in Jeddah: “We’ve been working since January, working hard, keeping my head down and aligning all my stars. I’m fully focused. I understand there’s a big picture. The goal is to conquer the universe, right? But first we must conquer Earth. And this is my target here.” The Watford fighter’s return to the ring comes after a tragic period in his life, having been involved in a car crash in Nigeria in December that claimed the lives of two of his closest friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, with his last competitive appearance being his knockout loss to IBF world champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024.

While both fighters have signed contracts for a potential November clash, the venue remains the subject of intense negotiation, with Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh indicating that while he wants the fight in the UK, it will only happen at Wembley if local authorities agree to a later-than-usual start time to accommodate American television audiences. Promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed that Madison Square Garden in New York has emerged as a possible alternative, with Netflix reportedly preferring a US venue to maximise their audience, stating: “Netflix want the biggest audience possible, and they feel like a mid-afternoon start time in the US will jeopardise the potential to maximise the audience.” Fury, however, seemed unconcerned about the location, joking: “Wherever we head, f*** knows. Is it gonna be in New York, is it going to be in Ireland, is it going to be in London? Who knows where the fight is going to be? It might even be here in Pattaya.” The fight, which took place second on the card rather than as the headline bout, also served a charitable purpose, with proceeds from ticket sales donated to the Father Ray Foundation, a charity in Thailand that helps underprivileged children, while Fury emphasised the importance of staying active after a 16-month layoff, saying: “Of course I’m going to fight again, I’ve had one fight in two years. It’s my second fight in two years. I wanted to get the rounds.”

Tyson Fury Dominates Wach, Sets Up Potential Joshua Clash with Seventh-Round TKO