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Home » Tyson Fury gets AJ deadline to sort out Deontay Wilder heavyweight mess

Tyson Fury gets AJ deadline to sort out Deontay Wilder heavyweight mess

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  • 3 min read

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has until Friday to sort out a Deontay Wilder roadblock stopping an undisputed unification.

Fury had agreed to face Anthony Joshua in a long-winded all-British clash on August 14 just days ago. Less than twenty-four hours later, Wilder won an arbitration ruling.

A judge in the United States stipulated that Wilder should be given a trilogy fight with Fury by September 15 of this year.

Both sides have since admitted that the power is now handed to Wilder. The American has the choice of whether or not to accept a step aside.

US promoter Bob Arum, who handles Fury activities stateside, has already said he won’t pay. It could be down to Hearn to burden the cash payment if he wants the Joshua event to happen.

WBN also speculated whether Hearn could also offer a principal place on the Saudi bill against Dillian Whyte for the right to face the winner. A slice of the Pay Per View proceeds could do much to persuade Wilder also.

There are lots of things to discuss in a short space of time.

Hearn, speaking to Matchroom Boxing, gave Fury just three and a half days to lay their cards on the table.

DEONTAY WILDER PROBLEM

It comes down to communications between Fury and Wilder’s respective teams on which road both go down.

Tyson Fury Eddie Hearn Anthony Joshua Fury vs Joshua
Mikey Williams / Mark Robinson

Hearn admitted he was surprised after Arum gave assurances that the Deontay Wilder situation would not affect their business.

“It was a shock to the system. These negotiations have been going on for three or four months now. We were always assured that this [Wilder’s court hearing] wouldn’t be a problem.

“We have to see now where they go with it,” said Hearn.

“The only fight we had our minds on was Tyson Fury, and we hope that fight can still take place on August 14th.

“The game changed last night where we have to have a Plan B in place, and probably a Plan C, and we have a couple of different options.”

HEAVYWEIGHT MANDATORY

Oleksandr Usyk will be thrust back into play as Joe Joyce gets dropped like a hot potato. Joyce was in line for a battle with Usyk if Fury vs. Joshua happened.

“The one that springs to mind immediately is the WBO heavyweight mandatory Oleksandr Usyk,” explained Hearn. “They’ve been quite patient.

“I think we’re in a situation now where if Team Fury doesn’t get their act together by the end of this week, we will have no option but to look for an alternative fight.

“AJ wants to fight this summer. Oleksandr Usyk is the mandatory. We have two or three other options as well,” concluded the Essex man.

Phil Jay is the Editor of WBN. An Auxiliary member of the Boxing Writers Association of America since 2018. And a member of the Sports Journalists’ Association. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.