TYSON FURY is not going to face Deontay Wilder next.
It’s a disappointment for boxing fans who enjoyed Fury’s extraordinary if controversial draw with Wilder last December. The two had been in negotiations to rematch for the WBC heavyweight title.
But in a surprise move last week Fury signed a deal US broadcast giant ESPN. Their first fight was on Showtime in America and bringing Wilder to another network, even for a single fight, will complicate proceedings.
The Wilder-Fury rematch has not been ruled out, but will not happen next. Fury’s team today notified the WBC of their intention to pursue another fight in the interim.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman stated, “Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury is officially not happening next. The WBC has received communications as [part of] our process and while WBC champion Wilder confirmed his willingness to fight the rematch, Fury will take on another fight with expectations to do rematch at a later date.”
Wilder is unimpressed. “You requested a warm-up fight first,” he declared on twitter. “I don’t blame you though, I probably would too if I saw my brains splashed all over the canvas.”
Joseph Parker, who lost to unified WBO, WBA and IBF boss Anthony Joshua last year as well as Dillian Whyte, is already in the frame for a contest with Fury.
