Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury II is heading to Las Vegas on February 22nd, with the T-Mobile Arena fast emerging as the favorite to host.
WBN has already been informed the date is locked in. This is provided Fury recovers successfully from cuts received during his victory over Otto Wallin.
Fury needed nearly 50 stitches after Wallin targeted his face with blows and scrapes. Wallin left ‘The Gypsy King’ badly wounded from round three onwards.
Asking Wilder’s co-manager Shelly Finkel whether the rematch could be postponed, the New Yorker told World Boxing News, ‘Fury should be fine’ on Monday.
Wilder vs Fury II
Steve Bunce, who covered the event for BT Sport and BBC Radio 5 Live, says it could be touch and go for Fury to make it in time.
On the BBC 5 Live Boxing Podcast, Bunce stated: “If the cuts require some plastic surgery that’s a good couple of months of doing absolutely nothing.
“February 22 requires that you’re in training camp in early December and we’re already in the middle of September.
“It’s quite thin lines plus a fight like this will take a big man like Tyson Fury an awful long time to let his body recover.”
Dates in March or April will potentially be considered. But only after Wilder faces Luis Ortiz in November.
Wilder is set to break tradition of campaigning mainly in New York in a bid to follow Fury in lighting up the Las Vegas strip.
WBN understands staging Fury’s last two fights and Wilder’s upcoming bout in Nevada is a strategic ploy aimed at stirring interest for the second fight.
Las Vegas is now the outright frontrunner to stage the bout, with T-Mobile Arena said to be marginally ahead of the MGM Grand at this stage.
Regarding the return, Wilder is confident he can take Fury out before the end, in order to erase any doubt about the result.
SCORES
Many thought Fury won ten rounds to twelve against Wilder the first time, with WBN seeing it a little differently.
On the WBN Scorecard, Wilder won four rounds to Fury’s eight. Meaning the final WBN tally read 114-112 in Fury’s favor.
One judge gave Wilder five rounds, with the two knockdowns added to score 113-113. Another, in Alejandro Rochin, unfathomably saw the American win nine rounds to Fury’s three.
This caused Fury to back away from a scheduled clash on May 18, with Wilder facing Dominic Breazeale instead.
Frustrated by Fury’s decision to sign with ESPN to build towards another meeting, Wilder blasted Breazeale out in one round.
Now, Wilder has to get past Luis Ortiz again in the coming months. But may be able to rest easier knowing Fury is unlikely to be ready for February 22.
Despite contracts being signed for the early 2020 date, it may well be Fury asking for an extension in the future.
