Bob Arum has provided updates on the situation regarding Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder 3, and that potential Fury vs Joshua superfight next year.
Multiple UK media reports on Saturday claimed that Fury’s trilogy showdown with ‘The Bronze Bomber’ will not now take place. The reports claimed Fury is set on fighting this year. And if that can’t happen against Wilder, he will look for another opponent.
Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel rubbished the reports, and said his team were still looking to fight in December.
But Arum, who co-promotes Fury along with Frank Warren, admitted Fury vs Wilder 3 is unlikely to happen.
And that means the likelihood of a Fury vs Joshua showdown next spring is increased. The 88-year-old Hall of Fame promoter says the match could now happen in April or May.
Arum was asked by talkSPORT’s Fight Night who Fury’s next oppponent would be.
He said: “That’s up to Tyson because if we can’t, as appears to be the case, put on Wilder vs Fury this year, Tyson wants to keep busy and we are going to accommodate him.
“Then next year, assuming Joshua beats Pulev, we can look forward to a Fury vs Joshua fight.”
Football gives boxing the boot
Arum re-iterated the reasoning behind the decision to scrap December 19 for the Wilder trilogy match.
He explained: “There aren’t any dates available in December. You have to understand, in the United States because of the pandemic, we are loaded with college football games. And the professional league games, which are massively popular in the United States. Like your Premier League games are massively popular in the UK.
“On December 19, when we really hoped to stage the fight with Fury and Wilder, we were informed by both ESPN, which handles Fury, and Fox, which handles Wilder, that December 19 isn’t available because there are five college football championships that day, which are massive, and two NFL games
“December 19 can’t occur and there are no other available dates where a Wilder vs Fury fight can happen in December.
“That leaves Tyson Fury, if he wants to do a fight in December then he’ll have to do it with another opponent in the UK and then, hopefully if he’s successful and Joshua is successful on December 12, we will look forward to talking about the Fury vs Joshua fight sometime in the spring of next year.”
Fury has been training hard since early in the year for the rematch. He has been clear on many occasions that he is keen to fight again before the year is out.
Arum revealed: “Tyson Fury is a very intelligent man and he put it accurately that if he can’t do a Wilder fight in December, which it looks like can’t happen, he wants to fight someone else.
Fury vs Joshua in Spring 2021
“He’s been training vigorously during this whole pandemic. Last time he fought was in February, so sure he should do a fight in December in the UK against an opponent that will be selected. And we will get ready for April or May for the great showdown that everyone wants to see, which is Fury against Joshua.
“The only thing that is going to stop that fight is if Tyson Fury doesn’t beat the opponent he selects in December and Joshua doesn’t beat Pulev. But if they both win, that’s the fight we are moving ahead on for April or May next year.”
Joshua’s showdown with Pulev is for the IBF, WBA and WBO titles. It is currently expected to go ahead on Saturday December 12. Promoter Eddie Hearn says it will happen with or without a crowd.
By then it will be more than a year since Joshua’s last fight – that rematch win over Andy Ruiz Jr.
