By Keith Idec
When Tyson Fury withdrew from negotiations for an immediate heavyweight championship rematch with Deontay Wilder, some cynical boxing fans considered that decision more about avoiding Wilder than expanding his profile in the United States.
Fury obviously will become better known by boxing on ESPN because of the basic-cable giant’s expansive reach within the U.S. It’s impossible, however, based on what Fury and co-promoters Frank Warren and Bob Arum are saying to determine exactly when Wilder-Fury II could become more realistic than idealistic.
The 30-year-old Fury seemed both eager to face Wilder again and disinterested all within 90 seconds of an exclusive interview BT Sport aired over the weekend.
“How soon do you call soon?,” Fury asked. “Tomorrow? The next day? Next week? Next month? Next year? It’s gonna happen. It was a great fight. Me and Wilder put on a good show, so the fight’s got to happen sooner or later. It won’t be next, as we know, because I’m fighting Tom Schwarz and he’s fighting Dominic Breazeale. So hopefully, we get it on after that.”
Fury survived two knockdowns – one apiece in the ninth and 12th rounds – and out-boxed Wilder in their 12-round split draw December 1 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Negotiations nearly resulted in a deal for an immediate rematch May 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Manchester’s Fury instead chose last month to sign a long-term, co-promotional contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc.
His fights now will be televised or streamed by ESPN in the United States as part of that deal. BT Sport airs Fury’s fights in the United Kingdom.
Showtime Pay-Per-View, which distributed Wilder-Fury 3½ months ago, would’ve been the broadcaster of their May 18 rematch as well.
Instead, England’s Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs) and Germany’s Schwarz (24-0, 16 KOs) will square off in a bout ESPN+ will stream June 15 from UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Four weeks earlier, Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) will make a mandatory defense of his WBC title against fellow American Dominic Breazeale (20-1, 18 KOs) on May 18 at Barclays Center.
Arum said Saturday that it’s unlikely he will consider a Wilder rematch for Fury until February at the earliest.
“Deontay can go and – I’m not gonna say what he can go and do,” Fury told BT Sport. “But Deontay already got beat by me in LA. The world knows it. I have no interest in him at all. If the fight happens, it happens. He already lost and he knows it. His promoter knows it. His trainer left ringside before the decision got announced. So Deontay’s a nobody. Let’s face it – he was a nobody before he faced me. He lost to me, he’s still a nobody. So, it is what it is. I have no interest in talking about the bum. A big bum, dosser, that’s all he is.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
