Deontay Wilder broke his four-day silence and congratulated Tyson Fury after their heavyweight battle for the ages on Saturday. Fury won via knockout in the 11th round, giving him the 2-0-1 series victory. The fight was deemed an instant classic by fans.
Fury told BT Sports Box Office that Wilder told him he “didn’t want to show any sportsmanship or respect” after the loss. It wasn’t until an Instagram post on Thursday that Wilder acknowledged Fury for winning the battle.
Wilder wrote on Instagram:
“Wow, what a hell of a night! I would like to first and foremost thank God for allowing me to give the world another part of me that’s driven with passion and determination. I would like to thank my team and my fans for sticking by my side through this long process. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t disappointed in the outcome but after reflecting on my journey, I now see that what God wanted me to experience is far greater than what I expected to happen. We didn’t get the win but a wise man once said the victories are within the lessons. I’ve learned that sometimes you have to lose to win.
“Although, I wanted the win I enjoyed seeing the fans win even more. Hopefully, I proved that I am a true Warrior and a true King in this sport. Hopefully, WE proved that no matter how hard you get hit with trials and tribulations you can always pick yourself up to live and fight again for what you believe in. Last but not least I would like to congratulate @gypsyking101 (Tyson Fury) for his victory and thank you for the great historical memories that will last forever.”
He shared screenshots of the Instagram photo and caption on Twitter with three praying hands emojis.
Wilder broke his hand in the fight and will undergo surgery. He was given a six-month medical suspension and is unable to return to the ring until April 8, unless he is cleared to fight by a doctor before that.