Las Vegas (United States) (AFP)

"124-105": these are the weights in kilograms of the British Tyson Fury and the American Deontay Wilder, recorded on Friday during the traditional weigh-in, on the eve of their highly anticipated "rematch", in a football stadium atmosphere English in Las Vegas.

Difficult to imagine such a difference in number of strokes, if by chance the fight does not end in knockout and the three judges are led to count them until the 12 rounds on Saturday evening, but in the meantime, Fury - who preferred to keep his tank top unlike his proudly trimmed opponent - exceeds Wilder by almost twenty kilos.

The Briton is certainly slightly taller, 2.06 m against 2.01 m, but what he certainly gained in power, he certainly lost in mobility and liveliness. He who usually shines through his defense, especially his dodges, kept repeating that he wanted to "box more aggressively in order to finish quickly, from the 2nd round". Perhaps he should indeed.

On Saturday, in the MGM Grand ring, the two boxers will face off for the second time, 14 months after their epic draw in Los Angeles, at the end of which Wilder had kept his WBC heavyweight belt in extremis, sending twice to Fury carpet, which had nevertheless risen in the 9th and 12th rounds.

In the meantime, it is mounted on battery and ovationated by a very large British colony present in the enclosure open to the public and filled with about 5,000 people, that the "Gypsy King" delivered its last face to face with "The Bronze Bomber "before their fight.

- Bird names and fingers of honor -

Wednesday their press conference was electric, between provocations, insults and pushes, before the police separated them. Far from their last outings where mutual respect was in order, this clash, ultimately more spectacular than violent, in any case did not please the Nevada athletic commission which forbade them to appear face to face after their weigh-in, much to the chagrin of the white-hot public.

Separated by a safety cord three meters from each other, with the famous balance between them, surrounded by several "big arms", they did not fail to send each other names of birds and others fingers of honor.

All in a particularly warm atmosphere where the "Fury fans" were clearly heard more than the "pro Wilder", singing in particular "Sweet Caroline", a tube by Neil Diamond cherished by their British favorite who never hesitates to push himself the song.

Which does not necessarily augur the same popular support from which he will benefit Saturday, because not all have tickets to attend the fight. If some are lucky enough to win at the casino, they can buy it on the black market, but the price can reach $ 11,000 each.

Proof of the craze around this "Wilder-Fury II" which is certainly the biggest heavyweight fight since the shock won in 2002 by Lennox Lewis at the expense of Mike Tyson.

© 2020 AFP