Deontay Wilder co-manager Shelly Finkel has informed WBN he expects Tyson Fury to recover sufficiently for the high-profile rematch.
Fury was cut twice badly in his Saturday win over Otto Wallin, leading to question marks over his availability for February 22nd.
That’s the date pencilled in, signed and agreed for Fury to challenge Wilder for a second time.
Promoter Frank Warren, who represents Fury in the UK, was unsure when speaking for a Las Vegas hospital in the early hours of Sunday.
“If it doesn’t heal well the fight may have to be pushed back,” Warren said to the BBC. “Hopefully that will not be the case.
“It depends how it heals. If it’s OK it won’t be a problem. It’s not just the fight, it’s the training and sparring. He has to be 100% right.
“We are waiting for a plastic surgeon to come and stitch his eye.
“The cut hampered his performance but, at the end of the day, he prevailed. He will have micro-surgery on the cuts due to one above the eye and one on the eye-lid.
“It gave Wallin a lot of heart,” he concluded.
Finkel has now aired his view that the ailment to Fury’s face will not mean a change of date.
“I believe that Tyson Fury will be fine for February to fight Deontay Wilder,” Finkel exclusively told World Boxing News.
“I thought Fury’s opponent (Otto Wallin) was better than anyone thought he would be,” he added.
NO DELAY
WBN initially thought Wilder would be happy to take any pushing back of the fight due to a forthcoming bout with Luis Ortiz on November 23.
As a result, February 22 gives the American just thirteen weeks to prepare for the biggest heavyweight fight of the year.
Despite the swift turnaround, and Fury’s scare, everything seemingly stays in place for 2020.
“Wilder versus Ortiz 2 will be announced by the end of the month,” Finkel concluded.
The first contest ended in a draw in Los Angeles despite Wilder flooring Fury twice and the challenger apparently winning ten of twelve rounds.
“I’ll just have to win twelve of twelve this time,” stated Fury in the build-up to his victory over Wallin.
Phil Jay is Editor of World Boxing News. Auxiliary member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow on Twitter @PhilDJay