Frank Warren, who promotes Tyson Fury (26-0, 19 KOs) has dismissed suggestions that he's looking to cash out the former champion in a showdown with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs).
Fury has only had a single fight since shocking Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015, in what was a major upset to capture the WBO, IBO, WBA, IBF world titles.
Since then, he spent over two years on the bench while battling depression and substance abuse.
Fury returned to the ring a few months ago, and dominated Sefer Seferi for a fourth round knockout.
And now Fury is coming back again against world title challenger Francesco Pianeta at Windsor Park in Belfast on August 18.
Warren revealed that Wilder is traveling over to to watch Fury from ringside.
"I’m not doing that. I could sit around and give him another couple of fights, I’m not doing that at all. From my perspective, if he feels he’s ready to go for it – we’ll see what he looks like, he may still look a bit rusty in Ireland but the bottom line is he’s in the ring," Warren told The Mirror.
“He’ll be coming out of that fight, whatever happens (as long as) he wins the fight, in a better position to go and challenge for the titles he never lost in the ring. (If we wait) Deontay Wilder’s punch isn’t going to go away in a couple of fights – he can punch. The fact of the matter is he’s in there, he fancies it, physically he’s in a good position, and most importantly with Tyson, mentally he’s in a good position, and that’s the main thing – mentally he’s there.”
The fight is being targeted for a December date in Las Vegas.
Warren believes the time is now to make the fight - because he's worried Wilder could get beat.
“My worry with all these heavyweight champions, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, is they’ll get beat. Both of them could get beat. It’s not difficult to hit Anthony Joshua – hit him on the chin, he can go, we’ve seen it happen. Deontay Wilder’s come from behind in fights, we know he’s a big puncher, but he’s been behind and shown he can be beaten on points," Warren said.
“Deontay’s coming over (to Belfast) for the fight. Tyson’s in good nick, he’s shifted another bit of weight. Get this fight out of the way and he’ll be ready to go. It’s not like he’s got lots of miles on the clock; he’s still a young man.”