In a stunning turn of events, Deontay Wilder holds all the cards regarding whether or not Tyson Fury will face Anthony Joshua next.
The American knockout artist won an arbitration ruling this week that stipulated Fury must face him in a trilogy battle before September 15th.
Fury had only announced his next fight with Joshua after six months of painstaking talks twenty-four hours earlier.
But now, Wilder can choose whether to allow Fury vs. Joshua to happen or secure himself an immediate WBC title revenge mission.
UK promoter Frank Warren, who looks after Fury on his home soil, admitted if they cannot persuade Wilder to wait, the Joshua fight is postponed.
“We are hoping that we can come to some accommodation [with Wilder],” Warren told talkSPORT.
“We have started talks. Hopefully, they will meet an accommodation with Wilder’s side to enable Tyson and AJ to get it on.
“If not, then Tyson will have to fight Wilder. That is the bottom line.”
On offering Wilder money or an incentive to face the winner, as WBN previously reported, Warren added: “There has to be some consideration.
“If we can get to some form of solution and he agrees to it, the benefit to Wilder is if Tyson wins the fight against AJ, then instead of fighting for just the WBC belt he’ll be fighting for four belts.
“It’s a problem, and we have to deal with it. If Tyson has to fight Wilder, then that fight [against Joshua] will get delayed.”
DEONTAY WILDER WAIT
Warren remains hopeful that Wilder will hold off until the Saudi Arabia undisputed unification is over on August 15th.
Wilder could be offered a huge check plus a massive purse to battle Dillian Whyte instead. Maybe even on the undercard, if that’s agreeable.
But whatever happens, Fury vs. Joshua is the fight they hope to pursue next.
“We want it to go on straight away. That’s the fight everybody wants to see,” pointed out Warren. “We want to see two big British guys in the ring, facing each other.
“That is what we are working hard, and have been working hard, to make happen.
“Wilder is in a very good position at the moment, but that’s what negotiation and talking are all about.
“We’re trying to resolve it. Problems are there to be solved.”
