Tyson Fury thanks boxing rival for 'making me a millionaire' as old wounds cut open

The upset that reshaped the heavyweight division and marked the end of an era.

Fury, who is now retired, delivered a message to his rival.

He said: "Good morning, everybody. It’s been a decade today, 10 years later, a full decade.

"Since I dethroned the long-reigning heavyweight champion of the world, Wladimir Klitschko. 28th of November, 2015.

"On that night, I said, today, Tyson Fury goes down as a legend.

"That was before the fight."

The former heavyweight champion added: "Never mind beating him, and going on to do exactly what I did.

"Come on! I’ve been celebrating that every day, Wladimir, for 10 years.

"Thank you, Wlad, for making me a multi-millionaire, a very successful and multi-time world champion.

"Get up there, you sucker! Ha Ha!"

Fury entered the bout in Düsseldorf as the underdog, facing a champion who had not lost in over a decade.

Klitschko, known for his disciplined jab-and-grab style and iron grip on the heavyweight landscape, was expected to retain his titles.

Instead, Fury delivered a poised, tactical performance that left the boxing world stunned.

Over 12 rounds, Fury’s mobility, feints, and awkward angles neutralised Klitschko’s usually dominant offence.

The challenger out-landed the champion in power shots and consistently disrupted Klitschko’s rhythm.

Although Fury was docked a point in the 11th round for hitting behind the head, the judges returned scores of 115–112, 115–112, and 116–111—awarding him the WBA (Unified), IBF, WBO, and lineal heavyweight titles.

Fury’s camp had raised objections to the ring canvas, claiming it was unusually soft and could hinder movement.

The issue was resolved just hours before the fighters entered the arena, adding drama to an already high-stakes night.

The upset brought an end to the “Klitschko Era,” which had dominated heavyweight boxing for nearly a decade, and ushered in a new chapter.

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