Boxing

Wilder wants over $30m to allow Fury and Joshua fight

May 19, 2021 11:40 am

Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury does not expect to face Anthony Joshua in his next fight after Deontay Wilder requested over $FJD30m to step aside and allow their bout to go ahead.

The 32-year-old Fury agreed to face Joshua in a highly-anticipated fight in August but Wilder’s team forced an arbitration hearing which concluded he had a contractual right to face Fury for a third time and by September 15.

Fury stopped Wilder in seven rounds in February 2020 to become WBC world heavyweight champion, 14 months on from when the pair shared a thrilling draw in a first meeting.

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A third fight was slated for 2020 but delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and an injury to Wilder prompted Fury to focus on facing Joshua.

Joshua holds the WBO, WBA and IBF belts, meaning a bout with Fury would have been the first at heavyweight for all four world titles.

Meanwhile Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed to BBC Sport that he is considering alternative plans, notably a contest between Joshua and Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, who is mandatory challenger for the WBO title.

[Source: BBC Sport]