British boxer Tyson Fury has given thanks to Jesus and testified that it was only by the power of the Lord that he managed to defeat Wladimir Klitschko to become the new WBA, IBF and WBO World Heavyweight boxing champion on Saturday night.
Speaking after his dramatic victory, Fury testified, "I used my jab, I used my agility. But it was with the power of Jesus that I won this fight. My Lord, my saviour. In the mighty name of Jesus I thank you."
Fury had gone into the fight as a 5-1 underdog, with experts and pundits roundly confident that Klitschko would retain his heavyweight title.
However, the British boxer proved too quick and elusive for the former champion, and Fury claimed the title by winning on points 115-112, 115-112, 116-111.
The 27-year-old boxer from Manchester becomes Britain's fifth bona fide heavyweight champion, following in the footsteps of Bob Fitzsimmons, Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno and David Haye.
Fury has had an unorthodox path to the heavyweight title; born into a family of Irish travellers, he was three months premature and just 1 lb. at birth. Doctors initially gave him very slim chances of even surviving birth, but he pulled through and was named after former world heavyweight champion and boxing legend, Mike Tyson.
He had to watch his father, a bare-knuckle fighter in the 1980's, imprisoned in 2011 for gouging a man's eye out. His father was ringside to watch his victory on Saturday night though.
Addressing his doubters after his victory, Fury said, "I always said what I'd do and I've delivered tonight. I didn't have this confidence for nothing. I knew I could come here and upset the apple cart."
He added, "I knew all along I could win the fight. Wladimir knew, his whole team knew tonight. I saw in his eyes he knew he was going to lose the fight and he saw the new, hungry champion in me. I never took my eyes off him during the stare-off. I wasn't fazed by the crowd because I knew I was going to be the new heavyweight champion of the world."
He also spoke about a controversial decision by the referee in the 11th round, when he was deducted a point for hitting Klitschko on the back of the head: "It's hard to come to Germany and get the decision. With that point off I thought he had got it. He kept turning around, turning away and pushed me down. But I would just like to say to Wladimir and I would like to say to Germany thank you for having me.
"I used my jab, I used my agility. But it was with the power of Jesus that I won this fight. My Lord, my saviour. In the mighty name of Jesus I thank you."
