When Fury’s camp complained, the champion’s fists were re-strapped which briefly delayed the start of the fight.
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The 27-year-old pulled off a stunning upset to relieve the long-standing champion – whose last defeat came back in 2004 – of his belts in a 12-round war of attrition which he was adjudged to have won 115-112, 115-112, 116-111.
The win gave Fury the WBA, WBO and IBF titles. After Fury’s win was confirmed, the emotional Mancunian called Jesus “my rock, my salvation” and went on to say: “I can’t believe it”, breaking down in tears.
“In the build up I wanted to be young and brash, [but] it was all fun and games”.
“I caught him with a left hook in the 11th and wobbled him a little bit, he was hanging on for dear life in that fight all the way through”.
Fury’s agent Asif Vali told BBC Sport earlier: “If it’s not resolved, the fight is in jeopardy of being off. The foam underlay is too soft”.
But the 6-foot-9 Tyson Fury (25-0, 18 knockouts), unlike all but one other opponent of Klitschko’s, had height and reach advantages over the champion.
Former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan added: “Wow!”
“It’s one of the more cool records that I’ll ever have broken”, said Shiffrin, 20, the reigning Olympic and world champion.
“I frustrated him, put my hands down and showboated and showed him things he’d never seen before”.
With the contest so finely poised heading into the closing rounds, both fighters knew that a decision on points would be close so sought to turn up the heat, and it was Klitschko who initially fared better.
“I prepared well, but my speed was missing tonight and I didn’t expect the speed from him”, said Klitschko, who turns 40 in May.
The British challenger claimed the gloves would break his thumb – new ones were rushed out but the Klitschko camp accused Fury of behaving like “amateurs” over the issue.
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Kell Brook, the IBF welterweight champion, tweeted: “Just heard, WOW congratulations to @Tyson_Fury I had kilt to win I hold my hands up! well done unbelievable for British boxing!” Fury opened up a cut by Klitschko’s eye with some shots that seemed to bother the Ukrainian champion.
