Wilder vs Ortiz 2: Deontay Wilder ‘a different person’ after Tyson Fury fight, says Ben Davison

Deontay Wilder has proved that “he will have doubts going into a potential rematch”, claims Tyson Fury’s trainer Ben Davison.

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Wilder must successfully defend his WBC heavyweight title against Luis Ortiz on Sunday morning at 2am, live on Sky Sports Action, to set up a second fight with Fury in 2020. Fury climbed off the canvas dramatically in the 12th round and was frustrated by the judges’ verdict of a draw against Wilder last year.

Davison will be ringside this weekend to scout Wilder and told Sky Sports: “If you watch [Wilder and Ortiz’s] press conference, compared to his one with Tyson it’s a different person.

“I think he looks cooler, calmer and more collected today. Today has shown that Tyson really did get under his skin. It shows he had doubts going into that fight, and he will have doubts going into a potential rematch.”

Fury had won two comeback fights after a near-three year hiatus before jumping in to challenge Wilder, in just his third outing with Davison by his side. A rematch, Davison insists, would favour the challenger.

“Tyson has a fantastic skill-set and we had a fantastic game-plan,” Davison said about the first fight with Wilder. “There were questions: how will Tyson deal with doing the rounds, at that level, after losing the weight? It was his first real test since the weight loss so we had to add that into the game-plan. [Next] time, it won’t be an issue.

“It’s no secret what threat Wilder poses but our job is to exploit his weaknesses and take away his strengths.

“The reality is, although on paper it says a draw, 99 percent of the boxing world agrees that Tyson won that fight. In Tyson’s heart, he knows that he won. But he wants to cement it.”

A rematch with Wilder, slated for February, also depends on how the cut that Fury sustained in his most recent fight against Otto Wallin heals.

Davison said of Fury’s two wins since facing Wilder: “Typical of Fury, there was pressure against Tom Schwarz. The next fight there wasn’t, and Tyson is the type who rises to the occasion. He needs a fear factor and he didn’t have that against Otto Wallin. But he showed that he’s a versatile fighter.”

Undefeated Wilder beat Ortiz after coming through a torrid seventh round last year and is defending his belt for the 10th time this weekend.

“Ortiz will be reactive for three, four or five rounds and, if Wilder doesn’t respect that, he could get timed and countered,” Davison said. “If Wilder takes his time and sets things up, he will find the stoppage.”

Watch Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua 2 in Saudi Arabia on Saturday December 7, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Deontay Wilder vs Luis Ortiz is on Sunday morning at 2am, live on Sky Sports, after Callum Smith vs John Ryder on Saturday night.

(c) Sky Sports 2019: Wilder vs Ortiz 2: Deontay Wilder ‘a different person’ after Tyson Fury fight, says Ben Davison