Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder 2: Heavyweight duo’s trilogy plan leaves Anthony Joshua left out in the cold
They may have just one of the four heavyweight world titles between them but, 14 months after their first fight, Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury are still the main attraction in boxing’s most popular division.
Following their split-decision draw of 2018, Wilder and Fury will put their undefeated records on the line in a highly-anticipated rematch for the WBC heavyweight crown on Saturday night.
But regardless of the outcome at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, there looks set to be a third instalment of a burgeoning rivalry that has left Anthony Joshua frozen out.
Promoter Frank Warren confirmed this week that the loser will be entitled to a rematch and Fury has stated that he wants the trilogy whatever the outcome.
It is a move that sidelines Joshua, who holds all of the other world titles and, until the fireworks of Wilder-Fury, looked set to face the American in a unification super-fight.
Since then the Briton has been forced into fighting Andy Ruiz Jr, to whom he suffered a huge shock defeat. And despite regaining his belts in December, the wait to meet Wilder or Fury, which may now stretch into 2021, means he will likely face less glitzy bouts with mandatory challengers such as Oleksander Usyk or Kubrat Pulev instead.
Fury freezes Joshua out
Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn were unwilling to compromise on offers to fight Wilder in 2018 – in terms of revenue split and location – due to the 30-year-old holding more belts and being the bigger draw.
However, the return of fellow Briton Fury following a drugs ban presented a curveball and Wilder’s team capitalised by organising a transatlantic fight against the self-proclaimed lineal champion – having vacated his belts rather than losing them – instead of current champion Joshua.
Fury’s terms were more amenable following an almost three-year absence and he seemingly prefers to fight Stateside as he continues to build his presence in America.
Wilder may not have envisaged Fury would pose the problems he did as he picked himself off the canvas twice having taken the American’s formidable punching power to the chin. But it has worked out remarkably well for both, until now at least.
While Joshua and Hearn have suggested they could face the winner of this fight, and that it would be more likely if Fury won, the Mancunian has, in typical fashion, taunted them about the remoteness of that possibility occurring soon.
Taunting AJ
“I’ve got a trilogy with old Deontay Wilder and then we’ll see where that goes,” Fury told Sky. “Who knows? May have a fourth or fifth fight.”
The news of a trilogy will be welcomed by US promoter Top Rank, with whom Fury signed last year, and its broadcast partner ESPN, as well as BT Sport in the UK.
The five-fight contract and TV deal is reportedly worth around £80m. And while a deal with the 31-year-old was always going to have its risks given his chequered history, it is paying dividends so far.
This weekend’s fight is expected to draw around 2m pay-per-view (PPV) customers in the US, as well as a further 1m in the UK, despite the 4am start.
Fury took home around £2.3m for the first fight before his slice of the PPV takings and, with the purse to be split 50-50 this time, he will earn even more. Some estimates suggest he may bank £60m from PPV alone.
With the money, fame and global acclaim that Fury-Wilder will generate, it is easy to see why the pair are keen to keep each other around for as long as possible. For Joshua, meanwhile, it means being forced to take a back seat once again.