When Deontay Wilder and ‘the Gypsy King’ Tyson Fury faced off at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles in December 2018, fans were ultimately disappointed when the result came back a draw.
Two years later, the pair fought again, with Las Vegas the venue.
This time, Fury dominated and came out on top, but the pair seemingly can’t get enough of fighting each other and aim to meet again in the ring in February 2021.
So, when exactly is the trilogy clash?
Promoters are skeptical of the fight happening without a crowd.
They have made it clear that they want to have at least a limited audience. Even if this means moving the fight away from the States.
The potential October 3rd date was scrapped. The December 19th penciled-in date is now also off the table. This is due to the real possibility of a lack of crowd.
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren has been vocal in his support for moving the tie overseas. He insists that a fight of that magnitude isn’t viable without a huge live crowd.
Where will the fight take place?
There isn’t a definitive answer to this question. But rumors are circulating that authorities are looking at outsourcing Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder III, potentially to China.
US-based promoter Bob Arum allegedly informed Frank Warren of an offer ‘from the Far-East’ to host the fight in Macau, China – dubbed the Vegas of Asia.
If the fight were to take place in China, it would occur at the Cotai Arena within The Venetian complex on the Macao Strip.
The venue holds around 15,000 people. And given that China’s borders have now reopened to several European countries, it’s possible of a substantial crowd presence in Macau should they stage the fight there.
Arum also mentioned that he was working with the authorities in Nevada to potentially host the fight at the brand new 65,000 capacity Raiders stadium.
This would mean between 10,000-15,000 fans could attend under distancing measures.
How will the delayed fight affect Fury vs Joshua?
Anthony Joshua is expected to fight Kubrat Pulev at the O2 Arena in London this December. Promoter Eddie Hearn is doing everything to make this possible.
But this, alongside Fury’s potential meeting with Deontay Wilder in February means that Fury v Joshua will have to be pushed back further.
The contract for the Gypsy King to take on Anthony Joshua is close. An agreement is apparently in place for what would be one of British boxing’s greatest ever fights.
Many felt that Wembley Stadium, with a 90,000 strong crowd. It would be the perfect place for the two heavyweights to face off.
But with Boris Johnson’s government announcing new restrictions on sporting events only days ago, any fight between Fury and Joshua in the UK up to May 2021 would be without a crowd.
