Steve Bunce believes both Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder 3 and Anthony Joshua vs Kubrat Pulev could both take place in Saudi Arabia later this year.
Respected boxing journalist Bunce hit out at what he called ‘the garbage’ written about a potential Fury vs Joshua megafight in the last couple of months, and laid out what he believes are the few facts available at this time.
Before any unification match can be made, both men have those prior engagements to deal with, and with the COVID-19 pandemic still wreaking havoc on live sport. Bunce just can’t see how either Fury or Joshua can fight in front of large crowds at sites like London or Las Vegas this year.
Bunce blasts ‘garbage’ reporting
Speaking on the 5 Live Boxing podcast with Mike Costello, he said: “There’s been an awful lot of garbage written, and an awful lot of garbage spoken. But what we’ve done is we’ve gone with what facts and from people we trust.
“So when Bob Arum tells us that categorically that Wilder and Fury will not be behind closed doors, that is in my opinion since the middle of March, the one and only fact that is attached to this fight that I can honestly say I trust and believe. We also know it won’t be in July like it was meant to be. We also know now that Spurs will not host – in June – AJ vs Pulev. We know that.
“I’ve got a feeling that there’s no need or urgency for any of the so-called challengers here to take step-aside money. I’m convinced of that. I was never a believer that Pulev would take a few quid, I was never a believer that Wilder would take a few quid.
“But I’m also a firm believer that I’m not quite sure we’ll see either of those two fights anywhere other than possibly Saudi Arabia this year. I can’t see us being in front of 17,000 or 90,000 for either of those two fights – and they demand that type of crowd.
“So I’ve got a feeling that if either of those two fights take place, they will be in Saudi.”
In short Bunce is quite content for Fury/Wilder 3 and Joshua/Pulev to play out, and to build momentum again with that possible all-British showdown the Holy Grail.
“Let AJ get Pulev out of the way and let Fury get Wilder out of the way and recreate the momentum we had earlier this year and the easiest way is to get these two fights – which should have all been done and dusted in about seven weeks time – to get them on and get them on quickly.”
