By Keith Idec

LAS VEGAS – Tom Schwarz ate a Snickers bar at his weigh-in Friday for his fight against Tyson Fury.

The implication was that Fury’s unknown opponent was ready to replicate Andy Ruiz Jr.’s unfathomable feat by knocking off Fury in their heavyweight fight Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Instead, the overmatched German ate some rights and lefts from Fury and the brash Brit stopped him in the second round.

The 6-feet-9, 263-pound Fury knocked down Schwarz late in the second round. Schwarz got up, but Fury finished him off before the second round ended.

Referee Kenny Bayless stepped in to save a bloodied, defenseless Schwarz at 2:54 of the second round.

The 30-year-old, heavily favored Fury upped his record to 28-0-1 and produced his 20th knockout. The 25-year-old Schwarz lost for the first time as a pro (24-1, 16 KOs).

“The key to tonight was to enjoy meself,” Fury said in the ring. “I used the jab. I was slipping and sliding, hands down, switched up to southpaw, caught him with a straight left. And it was a good shot. It would’ve put anybody away. I put on an extra 12 pounds. I really, really feel it, you know? I haven’t had three years out of the ring this time. This time, I had a few months out of the ring. I’m back, the return of the Mack. The Mack is back.”

Fury said following his knockout victory that he intends to return to the ring September 21 or October 5. He didn’t mention a potential opponent.

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His lopsided fight Saturday night didn’t at all resemble Ruiz’s stunning upset of previously undefeated Anthony Joshua two weeks earlier at Madison Square Garden. England’s Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) was a 25-1 favorite over Ruiz, but Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) survived a third-round knockdown, dropped Joshua four times and stopped him in the seventh round to pull off one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

Fury went off as a 12-1 favorite Saturday night at the MGM Grand sports book. Schwarz was unbeaten before they boxed, but he had not faced a ranked heavyweight, let alone arguably the best fighter in the division.

Fury fought for the first time since surviving two knockdowns to battle WBC champion Deontay Wilder to a 12-round draw December 1 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The former IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO champion appeared headed toward a rematch with Wilder on May 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Fury instead signed a multi-fight agreement with promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. and ESPN, which carried his victory over Schwarz on ESPN+, the network’s streaming service.

If Fury wins his next fight September 21 or October 5, he said he’ll pursue a highly anticipated rematch with Wilder (41-01, 40 KOs).

The 6-feet-5, 235-pound Schwarz threw hard shots at Fury in the first round, but he couldn’t catch the elusive ex-champion clean. Schwarz fired a huge right hand, but he missed with about 30 seconds to go in the first round.

Fury began the second round in a southpaw stance. He landed a left uppercut out of it and later drilled Schwarz with a right hook.

Schwarz was able to get out of a neutral corner, but Fury hit him with another left uppercut and blood began pouring from Schwarz’s nose.  

A left-right combination by Fury sent Schwarz to one knee with 38 seconds remaining in the second round. Schwarz got up, but Fury followed him to a neutral corner and unloaded a barrage of power punches on him.

Schwarz didn’t return any punches, thus Bayless stepped in to stop the fight.

Fury appeared pleased with how he performed in his Las Vegas debut.

“Do you know what?,” Fury said. “I came here to have fun, enjoy meself, put on a show for Las Vegas. And I hope everybody enjoyed it as much as I did.”

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.