In an unexpected twist, Tyson Fury entered the drama surrounding the unification of the world heavyweight boxing division.
Deontay Wilder, WBC champion, claimed that a match-up with the undefeated Briton is “close” during an interview with RingTV.
Fury spent twelve months out of the ring due to mental health issues. His return in June ended with a bizarre win over Sefer Seferi. A fight among spectators distracted Fury and saw more punches thrown than in the ring itself.
For Wilder, that, however, was enough to begin promoting the fight.
“It’s definitely going to happen, there’s no doubt,” he declared. “There’s just a little more work to be done.”
Not on the hype though.
“This is going to be better than Joshua when it all boils down to it,” he continued. “We know Tyson Fury, in many eyes, is still the champ, he hasn’t been defeated. He’s still undefeated. He’s still the lineal champion. Once I knock him off, I become that man who beat the man. I’m super excited, I can’t wait for this thing to be official and we can get the promotion going and get the fans riled up for it.”
The fight between Joshua and Wilder is some way off. Both fighters cause the ‘Sold Out’ signs to hang over stadium ticket offices.
However, viewers are not yet persuaded to part with their money. It’s a key revenue stream to making the fight happen. Until both achieve the numbers broadcasters want to see, it remains a significant barrier.
Wilder hopes that by knocking out Fury, those numbers will start to rise. The buck then passes to Anthony Joshua to improve his numbers on UK television.
