Sports

Boxing's Longest-Reigning Heavyweight Champ Finally Goes Down

Wladimir Klitschko held at least one heavyweight title belt for nearly a dozen years, but British challenger Tyson Fury ended his run ... for now.

Boxing's Longest-Reigning Heavyweight Champ Finally Goes Down
Getty Images / Richard Heathcote
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Heavyweight history took place Saturday night in Dusseldorf, Germany, as challenger Tyson Fury knocked off world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, snapping the champ's 22-match winning streak.

"Tonight wasn't his night, and it was my night," Fury said during the post-fight press conference. "God gave me the victory tonight."

Fury, a native of the UK, won the fight by unanimous decision, taking the bout decisively on all three of the judges' scorecards. (Video via SecondsOut.com)

Klitschko seemed to be cemented into the top spot in heavyweight boxing. He's held at least one title belt for just shy of 12 years, longer than any heavyweight before him. (Video via Warsteiner)

One factor that helped Fury was his height and reach advantage over the Ukrainian champ, something only one of Klitschko's previous opponents could boast. 

Fury, who's now 25-0, was groomed from birth to be a fighter. He's named after heavyweight legend Mike Tyson, and his win Saturday fulfilled a prediction his father made shortly after his son was born. (Video via Sky Sports)

"I knew this 27 years ago: The minute he came into the world, he was special. I didn't call him Tyson for nothing," Fury's father John told IFL TV. "I've seen this. I dreamed it in my dreams."

As is often the case with an exciting title fight, there's speculation about a rematch between Fury and Klitschko. And both fighters say they're on board.

"He won the fight and to be continued," Klitschko said after his loss

"Who knows what the rematch holds," Fury said. "The one thing I can say about the rematch is do not forget to watch it or turn up and come and see it because it's going to be explosive."

This video includes images from Getty Images.