Tyson Fury could be knocked out by Deontay Wilder, Shannon Briggs predicts

Fury and Wilder are set to meet for a third time in Las Vegas on 24 July

Deontay Wilder was defeated by Tyson Fury in their second heavyweight title fight (Getty Images)

Tyson Fury could be knocked out by Deontay Wilder, Shannon Briggs has warned, scuppering a potential unification fight with Anthony Joshua.

Fury was set to face British heavyweight rival Joshua in Saudi Arabia in August before he was ordered to fight Wilder for a third time following an arbitration ruling.

The ‘Gypsy King’ defeated Wilder in his last fight in February 2020, with the pair involved in a controversial draw in their first bout in December 2018.

American Wilder, who suffered the first defeat of his career following the seventh-round stoppage, claimed he had been weighed down by a costume he had worn during the ring-walk.

And former heavyweight champion Briggs believes Wilder could avenge that result by shocking Fury when they meet in Las Vegas this summer.

“Don’t sleep on Wilder,” Briggs told Sky Sports. “Throughout the history of the boxing world, he is a freak of nature.

“He could crack anybody and knock them out with his power. He will be an underrated guy for a long time because he didn’t have a lot of guys to fight.

“We don’t know what he will come with in this fight. He might shock the world.”

Briggs also dismissed Fury’s claim that he would “smash” Wilder in the pair’s third meeting and said Wilder has the potential to upset plans of a unification bout between Fury and Joshua.

“Fury might have got the wrong idea,” Briggs added. “If [Wilder] knocks out Fury, then what? It is possible. Will there be a fourth fight?

“Fury can’t sleep on Wilder. We’ve got to look at this for what it is - a 200lbs man? With those skinny legs he shouldn’t hit that hard!

“But he hits sickly hard. It isn’t normal to hit that hard. But he can’t fight backing up.”