Tyson Fury (in black shorts) fights Deontay Wilder on October 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: AFP

Heavyweight boxing so often fails to live up to what is expected of it but that was far from the case when Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder met for a third time last weekend.

The duo finished their trilogy at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and it was a fight for the ages as the Briton defended his WBC world title with a 11th-round knockout of the American.

Fury knocked Wilder down three times in the fight, though he was twice put on the canvas in the fourth round of their trilogy bout - the first time in his career that he has been felled twice in a single round.

"As the great John Wayne said, I'm made of pig, iron and steel," Fury said as media descended on the ring.

"I give him the glory for the victory. He's a tough man. He took some big shots tonight. It was a great fight, as good as any trilogy in history.

"When it comes down to it, when I have to pull the chips out, every time I've delivered. I can only be the best of my day, I've done that: I'm the best fighter in my era," Fury said after his victory.

"I actually feel sorry for all these guys who have had to fight me because I go in the dressing room and I'm not nervous, it's a boxing fight to me, but they're fighting the fighter of the generation, that's for sure."

In the immediate aftermath of the win, Fury also spoke of just how good a fight it had been.

"It was a great fight and worthy of any great trilogy fight," he said. 

"I will not make any excuses, Wilder is a top fighter, he gave me a run for my money. I always say I am the best fighter in the world and he is the second-best.

"This was a great fight and October 9, 2021 will go down in history, I hope. I always said I was the best in the world and he was the second best. Don't ever doubt me. When the chips are down, I will always deliver.

"And I want to say if it wasn't for ­Sugar [Hill], America's and Detroit's own, I wouldn't have gotten through that fight tonight... He told me, he said get your jab working, big guy, and throw that right hand down the middle. That's how the big dogs do it."

Tyson Fury (in black shorts) fights Deontay Wilder on October 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: AFP

Fury rued that he had not been showed the same respect that he showed Wilder after their epic three-parter concluded in some style.

"I'm a sportsman, I went over to him to show some love and respect and he didn't want to show it back. I will pray for him so that God will soften his heart."

"He's got no love for me, Deontay Wilder, and do you know why? Because I beat him three times."

As the interviews went on - both in the ring and at the post-fight press conference - Fury seemed more dismayed at his opponent, who had swiftly left the ring.

"I went over and said well done and he said he didn't want to show any sportsmanship or respect," Fury said. "Very surprised by that. He's an idiot.

"Sore loser. To be a top fighting man you need to show guts and respect and he didn't do that tonight. He couldn't do it."

Wilder's coach Malik Scott said that there was no love lost between the fighters and the "Bronze Bomber" felt no different after the fight than he had in the build-up, which had once again seen Wilder accuse Fury of using doctored gloves when they fought a second time 20 months ago.

"Deontay looks at Fury as a man he had serious issues with concerning allegations and things he'd seen. After they released all that energy, he still felt the way he felt," Scott told ESNEWS.

Wilder - who was taken to hospital as a precaution - broke his silence.

"I did my best, but it wasn't good enough tonight. I'm not sure what happened. I knew that he didn't come in at 277 lbs to be a ballet dancer.

"He came to lean on me, try to rough me up and he succeeded."

Fury did indeed succeed, adding a second win following a controversial draw in their first meeting in December, 2018.

The "Gypsy King" also came back from being on his back twice in this fight - just as he had been downed twice in the first fight - and being behind on the judges scorecard halfway through the scheduled 12 rounds in Las Vegas.

Whatever is next for Fury it will not be Wilder. The win, during which the Alabama fighter showed incredible resolve as he battled on looking for a winner with his hammer of a right hand, ends their trilogy. 

It looks like it will be fellow Briton Dillian Whyte next for Fury while talk of a Battle of Britain with Anthony Joshua is what the fans want. 

"AJ" will have to beat Oleksandr  Usyk, the Ukrainian who beat him easily at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month, before that.

Fury might not know who he has to fight in the future but he wants to win back home.

"I have two fights left out here but I'd love to bring a world title fight back to Manchester," the Manchester-born fighter told The Sun last week.

"It has always been a dream of mine to fight at Old Trafford," said the Manchester United fan.

"The last fight there was Eubank versus Benn in 1993 and that was massive.

"I'm really happy [Cristiano] Ronaldo's back at Old Trafford - but this town ain't big enough for the both of us!"