Tyson Fury stays unbeaten, stops Tom Schwarz late 2nd round

Tyson Fury stopped Tom Schwarz with 6 seconds left in the second round Saturday night, with the British heavyweight star remaining unbeaten and putting on a show in his Las Vegas debut.

Fury (28-0-1, 20 KOs) made short work of his previously unbeaten German opponent, battering him with a jab before knocking him down to a knee in the second round right after Schwarz (24-1) landed a big punch. Fury pressed ahead after the knockdown and forced Schwarz's corner to throw in the towel before the bell.

Fighting for the first time since he dramatically rose from a devastating 12th-round knockdown to secure a draw with Deontay Wilder, Fury confirmed his world-class ability after his comeback from a 2 1/2-year ring absence.

Tyson Fury, of England, poses for photographers after defeating Tom Schwarz, of Germany, during a heavyweight boxing match Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoJohn Locher)

"I came here to enjoy myself, put on a show for Las Vegas, and I hope everybody enjoyed it as much as I did," Fury said.

Although Fury already had memorable fights in New York and Los Angeles, the Manchester native was determined to put on a show in his debut in the fight capital of the world.

The performance by the world's lineal heavyweight champion was just as dominant as expected, but his shenanigans before and after the bout might be even more memorable. Fury was in performance mode at the MGM Grand Garden before the fight even began.

Tyson Fury, of England, celebrates after defeating Tom Schwarz, of Germany, in a heavyweight boxing match Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoJohn Locher)

After Schwarz ring-walked to the mellow strains of Bob Marley, Fury appeared in red-white-and-blue gear — including a top hat — as he stepped through a cordon of showgirls. With a broad grin, he took the ring to James Brown's "Living in America," the entire entrance in homage to Apollo Creed's famed fictional entrance at the MGM Grand in "Rocky IV."

Unlike Creed, Fury survived and won.

And after the bout, Fury showed off his decent singing voice. With the microphone in his boxing glove, Fury serenaded his wife, Paris, with Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing."

Tyson Fury, of England, hits Tom Schwarz, of Germany, during a heavyweight boxing match Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoJohn Locher)

The first fight of the 30-year-old Fury's lucrative new co-promotional deal with Top Rank was intended to introduce his violent style and loquacious character to ESPN's large audience, and he did both — albeit briefly.

"The key tonight was to enjoy myself," Fury said. "I used the jab. I was slipping and sliding. I caught him with the straight left. It was a good shot. It could put anybody away. I put on an extra 12 pounds, and I could really feel (the power)."

After dominating the first round with his jab, Fury switched to a southpaw stance late in the second round, and Schwarz caught him with a shot. Fury got mad, battering Schwarz with a combination and dropping him to a knee with a huge right hand to the head.

Tyson Fury, of England, right, dodges a punch by Tom Schwarz, of Germany, during a heavyweight boxing match Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoJohn Locher)

Schwarz got up with a badly bloodied face, and Fury teed off, peppering his turtling opponent with big shots. Referee Kenny Bayless stopped it at roughly the same moment Schwarz's corner threw the white towel into the ring.

The 6-foot-5 Schwarz is highly ranked by the WBO, but he had never fought outside his native Germany or the Czech Republic before Fury's camp picked him for this showcase bout.

Just two weeks ago, Anthony Joshua was stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr. at Madison Square Garden in one of the biggest upsets in recent boxing history. Schwarz never appeared to have a chance of pulling a similar upset — not with the 6-foot-9 Fury towering over him and fighting in crisp form.

Tyson Fury, of England, right, and Tom Schwarz, of Germany, fight during a heavyweight boxing match Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoJohn Locher)

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Tyson Fury, of England, celebrates after defeating Tom Schwarz, of Germany, in a heavyweight boxing match Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoJohn Locher)

Tyson Fury, of England, enters the arena before a heavyweight boxing match against Tom Schwarz, of Germany, Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoJohn Locher)

NEW YORK (AP) — “Civil War,” Alex Garland’s ominous American dystopia, remained the top film in theaters in its second week of release, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The A24 election-year gamble, the indie studio’s biggest budgeted film yet, took in $11.1 million in ticket sales at 3,929 theaters over the weekend. The $50 million film, set in a near-future U.S. in which Texas and California have joined in rebellion against a fascist president, has grossed $44.9 million in two weeks.

Its provocative premise – and A24’s marketing, which included images of U.S. cities ravaged by war – helped keep “Civil War” top of mind for moviegoers.

But it was a painfully slow weekend in theaters – the kind sure to add to concern over what’s thus far been a down year for Hollywood at the box office. Year-to-date ticket sales are down almost 20% compared to last year, according to Comscore.

Going into the weekend, Universal Pictures’ “Abigail,” a critically acclaimed R-rated horror film about the daughter of Dracula, had been expected to lead ticket sales. It came in second with $10.2 million in 3,384 theaters.

That was still a fair result for a film that cost a modest $28 million to make. “Abigail,” which remakes the 1936 monster film “Dracula’s Daughter,” is about a 12-year-old girl taken by kidnappers who soon realize they’ve made a poor choice of hostage. It’s directed by the duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett whose production company goes by the name Radio Silence.

More concerning was the overall tepid response for a handful of new wide releases – and the likelihood that there will be more similar weekends throughout 2024. Last year’s actors and writers' strikes, which had a prolonged effect on the movie pipeline, exacerbated holes in Hollywood’s release schedule.

Horror films, in recent years among the most reliable cash cows in theaters, also haven’t thus far been doing the automatic business they previous did. According to David A. Gross, who runs the consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, horror releases accounted for $2 billion in worldwide sales in 2023.

Guy Ritchie’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” debuted with $9 million in 2,845 theaters. In the based-on-a-true-story Lionsgate release, which reportedly cost $60 million to produce, Henry Cavill leads a World War II mission off the coast of West Africa.

Though Ritchie has been behind numerous box-office hits, including the live-action “Aladdin” and a pair of Sherlock Holmes films, his recent movies have struggled to find big audiences. The Lionsgate spy comedy “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” grossed $48 million against a $50 million budget, while MGM’s “The Covenant,” also released last year, made $21 million while costing $55 million to make.

A bright sign for “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”: audiences liked it. The film earned an A-minus CinemaScore.

The anime “Spy x Family Code: White,” from Sony’s Crunchyroll, also struggled to stand out with audiences. Though the adaptation of the Tatsuya Endo manga TV series “Spy x Family” has already been a hit with international moviegoers, it debuted below expectations with $4.9 million in 2,009 U.S. theaters.

The mightiest film globally, though, continues to be “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” The Warner Bros. monster movie has for the past month led worldwide ticket sales. It added another $9.5 million domestically and $21.6 million internationally to bring its four-week global total to $485.2 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Civil War,” $11.1 million.

2. “Abigail,” $10.2 million.

3. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $9.5 million.

4. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” $9 million.

5. “Spy x Family Code: White,” $4.9 million.

6. “Kung Fu Panda 4," $4.6 million.

7. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $4.4 million.

8. “Dune: Part Two,” $2.9 million.

9. “Monkey Man,” $2.2 million.

10. “The First Omen,” $1.7 million.

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Alisha Weir in a scene from the film "Abigail." (Bernard Walsh/Universal Pictures via AP)

This image released by A24 shows Kirsten Dunst in a scene from "Civil War." (A24 via AP)

'Civil War’ continues box-office campaign at No. 1

'Civil War’ continues box-office campaign at No. 1

This image released by Lionsgate shows Alex Pettyfer, Alan Ritchson, Henry Cavill, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and Henry Golding in a scene from the film "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." (Daniel Smith/Lionsgate via AP)