A boxer in their first fight, Fury went on the attack in Saturday night's rematch and knocked Wilder down twice before a flurry of punches in the seventh prompted his corner to call an end to the highly anticipated rematch.

Two judges had Fury winning every round, while the third gave Wilder one round. Fury had a point deducted for grabbing and pushing in the fifth round.

"He manned up and he really did show the heart of a champion," Fury said. "He's a warrior, he will be back, he will be a champion again. But the king has returned."

Fury dropped Wilder in the third round with a right hand which seemed to take the legs out of the champion. He put him down again in the fifth round, this time with a left hand to the body.

The end came at 1:39 into the seventh round when referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight after Wilder's corner threw in the towel as he was getting pummelled in a neutral corner.

Blood was pouring out of Wilder's ear for several rounds and, in a bizarre scene, Fury appeared to lick drops of it from Wilder's shoulder in the sixth round.

It was the first loss for Wilder in 44 fights in the 11th defence of the title he won in 2015.

"The king has returned to his throne," proclaimed Wilder, whose previous reign as champion was cut short by drugs and alcohol.

"Even the greatest have lost and come back," he said. "I make no excuses. This is what big-time boxing is all about."

Fury stalked Wilder almost from the opening bell, using his jab to control the early rounds. He appeared to win every round on the scorecard.

Wilder briefly protested the stoppage, as a pro-Fury crowd at the MGM Grand hotel roared in delight.

"I wish my corner would have let me go out on my shield," Wilder said. "He did what he did. There's no excuses."

Fury had bulked up to 273 pounds for the bout, vowing to change tactics and become the big puncher. He was true to his word, dominating early with a jab that stopped Wilder in his tracks and then landing combinations to the head and body.

The rematch, before a sellout crowd, followed their controversial 2018 draw in Los Angeles.

Fury improves his unbeaten record to 31 wins and becomes a champion for the second time after beating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

DPA

Australian Associated Press