by Dane McGuire
Like other combat sports media outlets, an article announcing the long-awaited clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. Before that article could come out, things had already fallen apart between the two thanks to contractual obligations.
ESPN reported Saturday an independent arbitrator ruled that Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) was legally obligated for a third fight with Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs). The fight will be on July 24, sources told ESPN at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Fury-Joshua’s undisputed title fight in Saudi Arabia had been set for August. The deal was nearly final before Monday’s arbitration. Fury will receive 60% of the purse to 40% for Wilder, sources told ESPN’s Mark Kriegel.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” said Bob Arum to iFL TV on Tyson Fury losing his arbitration case with Deontay Wilder. “I couldn’t conceive anyway that we would lose that case, I still can’t.
Fear not, Fury-Joshua is still on deck at some point in the future. Per DAZN, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told The Daily Mail that the body approves of either fight for Fury’s first defense.
“Yes, we will sanction Fury v Wilder on request,” he said. “We are on board with Tyson and Anthony Joshua for the undisputed title but a fight between our distinguished current and former heavyweight champions is also an outstanding event.”
DAZN reported “Joshua’s likely next move is his WBO mandatory Oleksandr Usyk, who was initially set to face Joe Joyce for an interim version of the title while waiting for the Joshua-Fury unification to take place.”
Bob Arum has told Mark Kriegel that the company have reserved a July 24 date at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium for the fight.
“He (Wilder) got a boxing lesson the first time around … then you had absolute destruction in the second fight so I hate to think what he’s going to get the next time,” Fury said.
“You’ve let boxing down! You lied to the fans and led them on. Used my name for clout not a fight. Bring me any championship fighter who can handle their business correctly,” The Gypsy King added.