If there are just a handful of fights we have to see in 2020 — by virtue of the excellence of the fighters being matched, the impact the bout would have in a weight division, or the gulf these fights would leave in our souls if they did not come to pass — what are they?

Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder 2

The first meeting between these two heavyweights was, if not a classic brawl, an intense tactical match-up punctuated by one of the most amazing single moments in boxing for some time. Watching Deontay Wilder (one of the single most powerful punchers in the history of the sport) hunt Fury (a ridiculously good defensive technician for such a large man) for 12 rounds, knowing that Wilder could end it at any moment, had us on the edge of our seats. That Fury went down in the ninth round only accelerated the drama. That he went down again in the final round in what looked like a surefire knockout, only to summon some kind of necromancy to rise and fight to a draw, made it all the better. The unsatisfactory draw made a rematch a must.

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