MEXICO CITY – Justin Thomas’ game may as well have been conjured in a laboratory for Chapultepec Golf Club because Thomas checks all the boxes of what is needed to have success on the tree-lined, high-altitude layout.
Hits the ball a mile? Check.
Wedge game is all-world? Double check.
Aggressive? Triple check.
All of which explains why Thomas finished inside the top 10 in each of the first three years that this World Golf Championships event has been in Mexico City and now finds himself atop the leaderboard through three rounds.
“I feel like I've seen the greens pretty well when I've played here. I mean, when I'm driving it like I feel like I am, I can be very aggressive and take advantage of some holes where some people might not be able to,” said Thomas, who shot a second-round 65 Saturday for a one-stroke lead over Patrick Reed and Erik van Rooyen. “I just have a lot of wedges and short irons and chips into greens, so just have to try to take advantage of it.”
That wasn’t always the case, however. According to Thomas’ swing coach/father, Mike, it was rounds of 73-74 on Friday and Saturday last year in Mexico that prompted Thomas' aggressive game plan. Following rounds of 67-66-65 this week, Thomas continues to trend in the right direction.
“I really, really hope that that trend continues tomorrow,” he laughed.
India's attempts at a roaring comeback in the basin Reserve Test were thwarted by a quick 71-run stand for the eighth wicket between Colin de Grandhomme and Kyle Jamieson. After his four-wicket haul with the ball, Jamieson ended up with the highest score for a debuting No. 9 for New Zealand: 44, off just 45 balls. If Jamieson left some exposed wounds, a dancing comedy act of a 24-ball 38, complete with sound effects, from Trent Boult sprinkled salt into them. However, it was de Grandhomme's solid batting that would have soothed the New Zealand nerves after India took two wickets in the first 20 balls of the day.
Having started the day 51 ahead with five wickets in hand, New Zealand ended up with a lead of 183. If there was a consolation for India, it was that nowhere in the world does first-innings lead count for less than in New Zealand because the surfaces there allow for second-innings comebacks.
If there was a concern for India, it was that this was not exactly the typical New Zealand surface. That much was evident as the first ball of the day reared off from just short of a length to hit the shoulder of BJ Watling's bat for Bumrah's first wicket in his last 294 legal deliveries in international cricket. When Tim Southee soon chipped a filthy half-volley down the leg side straight to fine leg, India were only 60 behind and hopeful of a strong comeback.
It helped that the old ball was still seaming around a touch, and the new ball was just around the corner. With three overs to go to the new ball, de Grandhomme decided to transfer the pressure back with a lofted off-drive off Ishant Sharma. Immediately Jamieson announced himself with a disdainfully pulled six off Mohammed Shami, who has looked off colour all match. Having seen Bumrah find some of his touch, India went to him with the new ball, but he bowled too straight and too full in the first over to concede two boundaries. Just like that, the lead was above 90 and India couldn't have afforded to go all out on the attack with the new ball.
This is when Jamieson displayed excellent balance at the wicket, and an organised technique to play both off the front and back foot. With Shami still struggling to find consistent lengths, New Zealand raced away against the new ball. Shami conceded 25 in his five overs, three of those with the new ball.
After the first hour, India were in damage control as they went to R Ashwin, who began the day at a disadvantage. He had been a handful on day two with a dry spot on a good length allowing him turn and bounce. However, the wind had switched to the Southerly on the third morning, which meant the fast bowlers got that end and Ashwin had to bowl from the Pavilion End where he found no assistance. Accordingly, Jamieson slogged him for two sixes over midwicket.
However, Ashwin's experience came into play here. He went around the wicket to stem the flow of runs, and when Jamieson went for a third six, the ball angling across him got a thick outside edge for a catch at long-on. de Grandhomme was not done yet, but eventually India's biggest weapon - an innocuous delivery down leg - came to their rescue, giving them a third wicket off such deliveries. It also meant Kane Williamson remained the only man to have scored a half-century in the Test.
But there was no respite for India, who had begun to switch off, as seen by the fielders who had not been coming up to prevent a single off the last ball of the over to keep de Grandhomme at the non-striker's end. Boult hardly played a ball standing still. He backed away, he shuffled across, but he middled almost every hit, flat-batting a short ball through mid-off, crunching a drive, lofting Ashwin, steering, pulling, nudging. After almost every ball he made a sound, depending on how well he had played it or if the bowler had managed to surprise him.
In the 38-run last-wicket stand, Ajaz Patel scored no run. Eventually Sharma switched to around the wicket to get Boult with a bouncer to end up with a five-for in a match doctors initially didn't give him a chance to play.
Three Serie A soccer matches scheduled for Sunday in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto were suspended late Saturday after the deaths of two people infected with the coronavirus from China.
On orders from the government, the Italian league games called off were: Inter Milan vs. Sampdoria, Atalanta vs. Sassuolo and Hellas Verona vs. Cagliari.
"The government is working on urgent measures to decisively confront and contain the cases of coronavirus contagion,'' read a letter from sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora to Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago shortly before midnight local time on Saturday. "Those measures also include the sports world in order to prevent risks and to better take care of the health of those involved in the events and competition.
"Following measures taken by the cabinet for protective reasons and maximum precaution, on orders of the government I'm asking you to suspend all sports events of every level and discipline planned for the Lombardy and Veneto regions on Sunday."
Inter, who are atop the league, confirmed on Saturday night that their match at 17th-placed Sampdoria would not be played.
"The club can confirm that Inter vs. Sampdoria, which was due to take place at 20:45 CET on Sunday 23 February, has been postponed to a later date" the brief statement read.
Three other matches in Genoa, Turin and Rome on Sunday are going ahead as scheduled.
A dozen towns in northern Italy effectively went into lockdown on Saturday after the deaths of two people infected with the coronavirus from China, and a growing cluster of cases with no direct links to the origin of the outbreak abroad.
The secondary contagions prompted local authorities in the Lombardy and Veneto regions to close schools, businesses and restaurants and to cancel sporting events and Masses.
The mayor of Milan, Italy's business capital and the regional capital of Lombardy, shuttered public offices.
A 78-year-old man infected with the virus died in Veneto. A postmortem on a 77-year-old woman in Lombardy came back positive, though it wasn't clear if illness from the virus caused her death.
A Serie B match between Ascoli and Cremonese was called off on Saturday around one hour before the scheduled kickoff because of fears over the coronavirus.
The Italian news agency ANSA said that the match was postponed because the visiting side are from the Lombardy region in the north of Italy, where 30 cases have been reported so far.
Lega Serie B later confirmed the decision in a statement, saying: "Following an insurgence of coronavirus cases in the north of Italy, it has made the suspension of the match, projected for this afternoon, inevitable due to public health reasons."
The Gazzetta dello Sport said both teams were already at the stadium when they were told of the postponement and that a coach load of Cremonese fans were turned back.
A third-tier Serie C match between Piacenza and Sambenedettese was also called off as were several dozen youth-team and amateur matches in the Lombardy region.
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.
Notable performance but the players to catch the eye were very much Japan’s Yukiya Uda and Germany’s Han Ying; contrary to expectations in the respective men’s singles and women’s singles events, each secured semi-final places.
Third title for Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem
Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem justified their top seeded position to secure the mixed doubles title; at the final hurdle they beat Germany’s Patrick Franziska and Petrissa Solja, the no.7 seeds and gold medallists last year at the Minsk 2019 European Games. They prevailed by the very narrowest of margins (11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9).
Success and a third such success for the Hong Kong duo; in 2019 they won in the Korea Republic and in Australia.
Somewhat differently, it was the first ITTF World Tour final for Patrick Franziska and Petrissa Solja as a partnership.
One step higher for Patrick Franziska
Runners up spot for Patrick Franziska in the mixed doubles, in the men’s doubles it was one step higher; partnering colleague Benedikt Duda, the no.2 seeds, at the final hurdle they accounted for Indian qualifiers Sharath Kamal Achanta and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran (11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9).
A first for title of any description on the ITTF World Tour for Benedikt Duda; for Patrick Franziska he endorsed his quality as doubles player. Previously, partnering Denmark’s Jonathan Groth he had won four times and with colleague Timo Boll on three occasions.
Alas for India, an ITTF World men’s doubles title remains elusive.
Success at third attempt
Runners up last October in Sweden, the same outcome three weeks ago in Germany, it was women’s doubles success for Japan’s Miu Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa.
The no.4 seeds, they beat Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho Ching, the no.2 seeds (11-6, 11-9, 12-10) to secure their first ever such title as a pair.
Meanwhile, for Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho Ching it was their fourth appearance in an ITTF World Tour women’s doubles final; the third time the runners up. The one win was in 2016 in Croatia.
Patience Prevailed
Han Ying, the no.14 seed, caused the one upset at the quarter-final stage of the women’s singles event; she accounted for Miu Hirano, the no.4 seed, in a gruelling full distance seven games duel decided by the very narrowest of margins (4-11, 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9).
Success for Han Ying but for colleague, Nina Mittelham, required to qualify, it was defeat; she was beaten by Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.2 seed (11-3, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7).
Han Ying now meets Mima Ito, the top seed, who overcame Hitomi Sato, the no.6 seed and also from Japan (9-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-1, 11-2). Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the no.3 seed, who ousted Doo Hoi Kem, the no.5 seed (11-8, 12-10, 13-11, 11-4), faces Kasumi Ishikawa.
Worthy champion
Crowned Japanese national champion earlier in the year in January, Japan’s Yukiya Uda continued his progress; at the quarter-final stage of the men’s singles event, the 18 year old beat fellow qualifier, Austria’s 41 years of age Robert Gardos, (11-6, 7-11, 16-18, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7) to reach the penultimate round.
A six games win for Yukiya Uda, it was the same from colleague, Tomokazu Harimoto, the top seed; he accounted for Germany’s Benedikt Duda (12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 9-11, 11-4).
Now for Tomokazu Harimoto another German awaits, he meets Dimitrij Ovtcharov, the no.3 seed, who reserved his penultimate round place courtesy of success against the Czech Repulic’s Pavel Sirucek (9-11, 11-3, 11-6, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8). In the opposite half of the draw, Yukiya Uda faces England’s Liam Pitchford, the quarter-final winner against Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson (11-9, 13-11, 11-4, 11-8).
Devin Toner says it "means the world" to be back in Ireland's starting team and that playing England on Sunday will be the "pinnacle" of his career.
The 33-year-old's Ireland career looked over after he was a shock exclusion from last autumn's World Cup squad.
But new coach Andy Farrell recalled Toner and Iain Henderson's absence after the birth of his son meant late inclusion for the Twickenham game.
"It's huge for everyone who gets a chance to play here," said Toner.
"So it's kind of the pinnacle of your career to play a game for Ireland against England in Twickenham.
"If you'd told me a couple of months ago I'd be starting against England at Twickenham I probably wouldn't have believed you, so delighted to get the chance.
"Obviously Hendy [Henderson] was picked to start and he's had a fantastic tournament and obviously delighted for him on the birth of his second child, so he'll be at home getting some sleep," added the 69-times capped lock.
Ireland crossed the Irish Sea on the back of successive Dublin wins over Scotland and Wales and with a second Triple Crown in three years within touching distance.
Toner came on as a replacement in each of those matches and received a rapturous reception from the Aviva Stadium crowd.
"It's an easy place to slot back into, obviously because I'm very familiar with everything that's going on.
"I knew there were reasons why I didn't get selected to go to the World Cup and then I just tried to knuckle down at the start of the season with Leinster."
Ireland secured the 2018 Grand Slam title at Twickenham but were twice thumped by England last year, shipping 89 points in the process.
Toner came on during the 57-15 loss to Eddie Jones' side in London in August, while his previous Six Nations start came in the 32-20 Dublin defeat to England during the opening round of last year's tournament.
Here’s a look at where things stand through 54 holes of the WGC-Mexico Championship at Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City, where Justin Thomas leads:
Leaderboard: Justin Thomas (-15), Patrick Reed (-14), Erik Van Rooyen (-14), Bryson DeChambeau (-11), Jon Rahm (-11), Rory McIlroy (-11)
What it means: Thomas, the world No. 4, is eyeing his third victory of the season following triumphs at the CJ Cup and Sentry Tournament of Champions. The latter came via a playoff victory over Xander Schauffele and Reed, who will again be one of Thomas' main challengers on Sunday. Reed will certainly face some chirping from the crowd as his controversial bunker episode at Hero last December remains a hot topic of conversation. But Thomas would likely be the favorite anyway as he owns three top-10s at Chapultepec, including a runner-up finish to Phil Mickelson two years ago.
How it happened: DeChambeau, the second-round leader by one, and Van Rooyen traded birdie-eagle starts to begin their third rounds playing alongside Reed in the final group. While Van Rooyen remained a shot off the lead after a third-round 67, DeChambeau saw his round begin to unravel after a double bogey at the par-5 sixth, where DeChambeau’s third shot found the water. He made just one birdie the rest of the way and carded an even-par 71. Meanwhile, Thomas was slow to start, bogeying his first hole, but caught fire on the back nine with five birdies, including a 15-foot breaker at the par-3 17th hole. Thomas bogeyed the par-4 finisher, which left him with a third-round 65 and dropped him back into a tie with Reed for a moment. But Reed bogeyed the last, leaving a greenside bunker shot in the fringe and missing the par save, to shoot 67.
Round of the day: Rahm got off to a blazing start, birdieing six of his first seven holes. Each of his first three birdies came on putts inside of 4 feet. On the back side, Rahm added three birdies and a hole-in-one from 158 yards at the par-3 17th to finish with a course-record, 10-under 61.
Best of the rest: McIlroy’s third-round 68 kept his hopes alive while Tyrrell Hatton, playing for the first time since wrist surgery, and Paul Casey each fired 66 to reach 10 under.
Biggest disappointment: DeChambeau makes a strong case here, but he still has a chance to win this tournament. Hideki Matsuyama, though, likely played himself out of it with an even-par 71 that leaves him six shots back.
Shot of the day: Rahm wasn’t the only player to record an ace Saturday. His fellow Arizona State alum, Chez Reavie, did so at the 167-yard par-3 third hole.
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – PGA Tour rookie Viktor Hovland shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the windy Puerto Rico Open.
"Hopefully, I just continue doing what I have been doing the first three days," Hovland said. "It would be unbelievable to have won on the tour already, but I'm just worried about tomorrow. Hopefully, I can hit some good shots and make some putts."
The 22-year-old Norwegian starred at Oklahoma State, winning the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach, then sweeping low amateur honors at the Masters and U.S. Open. He birdied all four par-5 holes at Coco Beach, the last on the 18th for a back-nine 31 and 18-under 198 total.
"I played really well today, kind of the same round as the last two, just been playing really solid off the tee and been hitting a lot of really good iron shots into the greens," Hovland said. "Early on in the round I didn't really make that many putts, but I did a really good job of just staying calm. Thankfully, on the back nine I started making a couple putts and got me going."
Martin Laird was second after a 63. He eagled the par-5 second and par-4 10th, holing out with a wedge on 10.
"Today was a great day, putts were going in," Laird said. "I've been hitting it great all week. Yesterday, I hit it just as good and just putts were all over the hole and didn't go in and then today, they did. Nice bonus on 10. Holing a wedge is always a little boost."
Josh Teater was two strokes back at 16 under after a 66.
Emiliano Grillo had a 69 to get to 13 under. Patrick Rodgers (66) and Sam Ryder (69) were 12 under.
Three Serie A soccer matches scheduled for Sunday in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto were suspended late Saturday after the deaths of two people infected with the coronavirus from China.
On orders from the government, the Italian league games called off were: Inter Milan vs. Sampdoria, Atalanta vs. Sassuolo and Hellas Verona vs. Cagliari.
"The government is working on urgent measures to decisively confront and contain the cases of coronavirus contagion,'' read a letter from Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora to Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago shortly before midnight local time on Saturday. "Those measures also include the sports world in order to prevent risks and to better take care of the health of those involved in the events and competition.
"Following measures taken by the cabinet for protective reasons and maximum precaution, on orders of the government I'm asking you to suspend all sports events of every level and discipline planned for the Lombardy and Veneto regions on Sunday."
Inter, who are atop the league, confirmed on Saturday night that their match at 17th-placed Sampdoria would not be played.
"The club can confirm that Inter vs. Sampdoria, which was due to take place at 20:45 CET on Sunday 23 February, has been postponed to a later date" the brief statement read.
Three other matches in Genoa, Turin and Rome on Sunday are going ahead as scheduled.
A dozen towns in northern Italy effectively went into lockdown on Saturday after the deaths of two people infected with the coronavirus from China, and a growing cluster of cases with no direct links to the origin of the outbreak abroad.
The secondary contagions prompted local authorities in the Lombardy and Veneto regions to close schools, businesses and restaurants and to cancel sporting events and Masses.
The mayor of Milan, Italy's business capital and the regional capital of Lombardy, shuttered public offices.
A 78-year-old man infected with the virus died in Veneto. A postmortem on a 77-year-old woman in Lombardy came back positive, though it wasn't clear if illness from the virus caused her death.
A Serie B match between Ascoli and Cremonese was called off on Saturday around one hour before the scheduled kickoff because of fears over the coronavirus.
The Italian news agency ANSA said that the match was postponed because the visiting side are from the Lombardy region in the north of Italy where 30 cases have been reported so far.
Lega Serie B later confirmed the decision in a statement, saying: "Following an insurgence of coronavirus cases in the north of Italy, it has made the suspension of the match, projected for this afternoon, inevitable due to public health reasons."
The Gazzetta dello Sport said that both teams were already at the stadium when they were told of the postponement and that a coach load of Cremonese fans were turned back.
A third tier Serie C match between Piacenza and Sambenedettese was also called off as were several dozen youth team and amateur matches in the Lombardy region.
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.
Kapp is one of the premier allrounders in women's cricket at the moment. She can be a match-winner with both bat and ball. She usually bats at No. 3, anchors the innings, then tees off. Bowling is probably Kapp's stronger suit though. She is fresh off a four-for in the warm-up game against Australia.
Vice-captain: Natalie Sciver
Sciver is another fine all-round option. She generally bats in the top four and opens the bowling for England which means she can get you points with both bat and ball. In T20Is, she averages 23.51 and has a strike rate of 111.48 with the bat, and she has 56 wickets at an economy of 6.44.
Hot Picks
Amy Jones
Jones is an opener who doesn't like wasting too many balls in the powerplay if she can help it. If she gets going, England will be in a great position. She can get you points for wicketkeeping as well, so she is a must-have. She has scored 200 runs in her last seven T20I innings and has a career strike rate of 113.13 in the format.
Dane van Niekerk
A proper legspinner-cum-top order batter. Her ability to keep things tight makes her effective - she has an economy of 5.46 in T20Is, especially impressive given she bowls legspin. She warmed up for the tournament with a 51-ball 62 against Australia.
Heather Knight
Yet another allrounder who usually bats in the top four and bowls a bit. She is more of a batting allrounder, so she may not be the best choice for captain or vice-captain, but you cannot leave her out. She is 54 short of 1000 runs in T20Is and has a career strike rate of 116.21.
Value Picks
Sune Luus
Luus can play the role of finisher, and contribute with a bit of legspin. She picked up four wickets in the first warm-up game against Sri Lanka, and could trouble the England batters.
Points to note
South Africa have won only two out of their last 10 T20s against England
England have scored at 7.07 against legspinners in the format since 2017, and South Africa have two legspinners in their squad
Heavyweight world titleholder Deontay Wilder puts his WBC belt on the line against lineal champion Tyson Fury in a rematch of their controversial split draw in 2018, when Fury outboxed Wilder for long periods of the fight but suffered two knockdowns, including one in the 12th and final round.
Fury also scored two victories since the first fight with Wilder, a stoppage over Tom Schwarz in two rounds in June and a hard-fought unanimous decision win against Otto Wallin in September, where Fury suffered a bad cut in the right eyelid in the third round.
Ahead of the anticipated rematch, the only question worth asking is: Who will win?
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0:57
Fury: I'm taking Wilder out in two rounds
Tyson Fury says he intends to go toe-to-toe with Deontay Wilder, predicting a second-round knockout on Feb. 22.
Dan Rafael ESPN.com
Wilder by KO
As Wilder often says, his opponent needs to be perfect for the entire fight and he only needs to be perfect for two seconds -- the time it takes for him to land his massive right hand that is the best in boxing and maybe the best in history. Wilder surely will be outboxed for stretches against Fury, who has great skills, but at some point Wilder is going to find a home for the big shot. He did in the first fight, dropping Fury twice. Fury miraculously survived a thunderous knockdown in the 12th round, but this time when Wilder floors him it will be for good. Wilder by highlight-reel KO in the later rounds.
Timothy Bradley Jr. ESPN boxing analyst/former champion
Wilder by KO
Many will say Fury, being the pure boxer, should win this fight. But I don't think so. Wilder may not have the technical skills of a Larry Holmes, but his unorthodox style and ring IQ are above average. If Fury is the boxer, why did Wilder out-jab him in the first fight 248 to Fury's 224? Also Tyson being a defensive genius was hit the most in his most recent fight against Wallin, according to CompuBox. In that fight Fury got hit 127 times over the course of 12 rounds. In conclusion, I have Wilder earning a spot on the SportsCenter top 10 plays of the day with a devastating KO.
Julio Cesar Chavez ESPN Deportes/Golpe a Golpe
Wilder by KO
Fury will outbox Wilder to start the fight while the American will look for his power shots. I pick Wilder to win by KO late in the fight.
Juan Manuel Marquez ESPN Deportes/Golpe a Golpe
Fury by decision
It will be important that Fury shows up in the best condition for his technique and combinations to work to earn a decision victory.
Josh Taylor Unified junior welterweight world titlist
Fury by decision
I think Fury will do it and outbox Wilder. Fury will try to stay away from Wilder's right hand. If he stays on his two feet, on his toes, it's his fight to lose. Fury has been saying he's going to come out and knock him out, but that's a dangerous game for him.
Nick Parkinson ESPN UK
Wilder by KO/TKO
Hopefully, Fury's skin around his right eye, where he needed 47 stitches last September to close a nasty cut, will not betray him. If it doesn't, this fight will most likely be determined by the wrecking ball that is Wilder's right fist. Fury can outbox Wilder for 12 rounds, as he did in their first encounter, only to get nailed by one of the American's big shots. Wilder only needs one punch. Fury beat the count last time, but Wilder has finished his last two opponents in devastating fashion and wins by KO or on cuts.
Teddy Atlas ESPN boxing analyst
Wilder by KO8
In their first encounter, Fury fought about as well as possible and he still had to get off the floor twice. Add to the equation that since then, Wilder has improved his delivery system for that brick of a right hand.
Nigel Collins ESPN.com
Wilder by TKO
If switching trainers from Ben Davison to Javan Hill really does increase Fury's punching power, the "Gypsy King" has a legitimate chance of beating Wilder. But at this stage of Fury's career, that's probably not possible. He is what he is. Moreover, it's difficult to imagine Fury boxing better than he did in the first fight, which would mean totally avoiding Wilder's bombs. This time the referee saves a groggy Fury after he gets up wobbly from a knockdown.
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1:22
Wilder was excited when Fury got back up in their first fight
Deontay Wilder was jumping for joy on the inside when Tyson Fury rose to his feet after being knocked down in the 12th round of their first fight.
Steve Kim ESPN.com
Wilder by KO8
The rematch will look like their first bout. I expect Fury to outbox and outmaneuver Wilder for long stretches, but until someone shows that they can evade Wilder's right hand, I'm not inclined to pick against him for the time being. Yeah, Wilder has his flaws, but he's also got the ultimate eraser. I like Wilder to eventually land his preferred weapon and score an eighth-round knockout.
Eric Raskin Showtime Boxing
Wilder by KO9
There are no wrong answers for this fight (except maybe Fury by KO). It's truly a fight that can go either way. But Fury, as skilled and smart as he is in the ring, makes the occasional mistake, and Wilder is quite possibly the most dangerous heavyweight in history to make a single mistake against. Can Fury get through 36 minutes without getting clipped? I think it's slightly more likely the answer is no than yes.
Doug Kezirian ESPN Betting Analyst
Wilder by KO
Fury is approaching the rematch with Wilder much differently than he did their first fight that went the distance. He added 20 pounds, which may slow down his top-notch elusive skills. Fury also changed trainers and is reportedly focusing on a more offensive-minded game plan. Both adjustments lend themselves to a fight under 10.5 rounds. On top of that, given Fury was knocked down twice in the first fight, I am skeptical of his ability to continue to absorb Wilder's impressive punching power. Forty-one of Wilder's 42 bouts have ended via the knockout. I do not expect a lengthy fight. Pick: Under 10.5 rounds (+110)
Delvin Rodriguez ESPN Deportes
Wilder by KO
This time Wilder is gonna take his time, settle down more, put his punches together and get the KO in the later rounds.
Charles Moynihan ESPN bureau producer
Fury by unanimous decision
Fury's road map to victory is simple: Control the distance and circle away from Wilder's devastating right hand. This fight will lack the sizzle of Act I.
Salvador Rodriguez ESPNdeportes.com
Wilder by late KO
I think it will be an intriguing fight. Fury's ring intelligence is something that we have rarely seen in the heavyweight division and that should give him an advantage against anyone, but not against the fierce power of Wilder. I think Wilder will send Fury to the canvas late in the fight, and unlike the first encounter, this time Fury will not be able to get up in time.
Claudia Trejos DAZN
Wilder by KO
I believe Wilder will take the win by KO after the seventh round. Wilder possesses devastating power that can cancel Fury's boxing skills and movement abilities. Fury's attributes will diminish as the fight goes into the later rounds, and that will open the opportunity for Wilder to land his right hand and finish the fight before the final bell.
David Faitelson ESPN Deportes
Wilder by KO
Wilder's devastating power will be the difference again. Wilder will have to work hard against Fury's mobility and boxing skills, but in the end, he will find the punch he needs to end the fight.
Jorge Eduardo Sánchez ESPN Deportes boxing host
Fury by decision
Fury should win. He's the better fighter, has more weapons and he's smarter than Wilder in the ring. But Fury will have to be alert all the time, because Wilder could solve the fight with just one blow.
Bernardo Pilatti Boxing analyst
Wilder by TKO
The rematch promises to be similar to their first showdown in 2018 -- a clear clash of styles. Fury will control the fight with his technical superiority, and Wilder will be betting on hurting Fury with his power shots. To pick a winner is difficult; however, I expect Wilder to make the appropriate adjustments, that is, increase his punch volume. We already know that Wilder can hurt Fury with a single shot. In the case of Fury, he changed his coach after not showing much improvement in his recent fights. His unpredictable personality along with possible fatigue late in the fight could lead to defensive errors that Wilder will definitely take advantage of.
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