Tyson Fury warns Deontay Wilder about lawsuit if he doesn’t fight him

By Boxing News - 09/10/2019 - Comments

By Charles Brun: Lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has a warning message to WBC champion Deontay Wilder that he’ll be dealing with a lawsuit if he doesn’t honor his rematch contract to fight him on February 22.

Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs) mentioned recently that he would like Fury (28-0-1, 20 KOs) to step aside so that he could face the winner of the December 7th rematch between IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua. Wilder said he didn’t think Fury was all that interested in the rematch with him anyway. Fury says he is interested in battling Wilder a second time, and he maintains it’s the biggest fight in boxing.

Wilder vs. Fury grossed $30 million

The Wilder-Fury fight last December failed to bring in a lot of pay-per-view buys on Showtime, as it sold just 350,000 buys. It wasn’t a big seller compared to recent matches between Gennady Golovkin and Saul Canelo Alvarez. Since his fight with Wilder, Fury has signed with Top Rank, who are trying to turn him into a star in the United States by matching him against Otto Wallin and Tom Schwarz. 

It’s a calculated move on Top Rank’s part in putting Fury in with contenders with unbeaten record, good size, and high rankings. The drawback to what Top Rank is doing is casual boxing fans aren’t familiar with the guys Fury is fighting. As such, he’s not getting as much credit as he would if he were beating well known heavyweights.

Fury says Wilder will have a lawsuit on his hands if he doesn’t honor contract for rematch

“It’s not about money for me. It’s about victory and glory,” said Fury to IFL TV when told about Deontay Wilder wanting to have him step aside so he can fight the Joshua vs. Ruiz rematch winner. “I’m not interested in any money they can give me. The contract has been signed for February 22. Agree or you will have a lawsuit on your hands. Whatever reasons he’s got why he thinks he shouldn’t fight me, but I think we owe it to the fans.

We owe it to the boxing world. Why not get on and do it? I’m going to be paid a lot of money to fight. So let’s get on and do it. Let’s honor the contract and fight. That’s done [the Wilder rematch for February 22]. He can’t [break it], because that’s a law binding contract. The only way he can get out of his contract is if he retires or if he pulls out injured, and doesn’t decide to fight anymore. February 22 in Las Vegas, USA,” said Fury about the scheduled date for the Wilder rematch.

Wilder likely realizes that his chances of getting a fight against the winner of the Joshua-Ruiz 2 rematch are slim and none. When Wilder mentioned wanting Fury to step aside recently, he sounded hopeful, but far from certain that he would agree to do that. The winner of the Joshua vs. Ruiz rematch will have mandatory defenses due, and that’ll keep them busy. Kubrat Pulev is the IBF mandatory, while Oleksandr Usyk is mandatory for the WBO belt. One of those two will likely be the next opponent for the Ruiz Jr. vs. Joshua winner unless they vacate the belts.

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Tyson Fury fires back at Hearn

“Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua are doing their own careers, and their own jobs. Why should they be bothered about mine?,” said Fury. “Who I’m fighting and who I’m not fighting, what does that have to do with them? Absolutely nothing. They can be critical if they want, but it’s like that off me; water off a champ’s arm, you know? I’m sure they’d love to be here headlining in Vegas, because the last time I heard a certain person [Joshua] got chinned when he came to America. Just be happy for me.

Only 18 months ago I was in an absolutely terrible place about to commit suicide. If that’s not inspirational to people or some idiot like Eddie Hearn to go on and try to talk negative about me. They’ve got no need to talk negative. If I fight Fred Flintstone, what does it have to do with Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua?” said Fury.

Joshua and Hearn expect more from Fury, given that he’s the lineal heavyweight champion. With the high regard that Fury has about himself, calling himself the #1 heavyweight on the planet, Hearn and AJ expect more from him. It looks odd for Fury to fight guys like Wallin and Schwarz, because there are arguably better heavyweights throughout the division. Fury says Alexander Povetkin turned down a fight against him. However, Hearn said the offer from Top Rank wasn’t good enough. Hearn says Top Rank doesn’t have the money to get good opponents for Fury, because they’re paying him so much money. They’ve got nothing left over.

Fury questions why Hearn and Joshua are critical of Wallin

Why are they critical of Otto Wallin? Who is he [Joshua] fighting?” said Fury. “Who was Andy Ruiz before he knocked out Anthony Joshua? Nobody. He was another Otto Wallin, really. Everybody is a nobody until they get a big break. What Eddie and AJ are trying to say is if you have a dream don’t follow it, because you’re not going to make it. They’re dream killers. Advising people not to follow their dreams, because Otto Wallin is following his. I’m following mine headlining in Vegas for the second time. Headlining in the United States for the third time in a row. It’s not my fault that I’m a great boxer and the Americans love me,” said Fury.

Hearn is critical of the way that Top Rank is matching Fury right now. He’s not impressed with Fury fighting guys like Wallin and Schwarz. Neither of them are considered to be major talents by boxing fans, and they aren’t well known. Top Rank boss Bob Arum said he selected the 6’6″ Wallin, because he was the best available big contender that could prepare Fury for his rematch with the 6’7″ Wilder.

Wallin is close to the same height as Wilder, but he’s slow of hand, and he’s not a big puncher. He’s identical to Schwarz in terms of speed, power and ability. Fury had an easy time stopping Schwarz in the 2nd round last June in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he’s expected to do the same against Wallin.

Fury says rematch with Wilder is the biggest fight in boxing

“As far as I know, Bob [Arum] is getting paid hundreds of millions of dollars a year from ESPN,” said Fury. “Who really cares what Eddie Hearn says. He’s not a boxer, so he’s irrelevant. He’s unimportant, and no one really cares what he says anyway. It doesn’t make any difference what Eddie Hearn says. He ain’t my promoter. What does he care if ESPN wastes a billion dollars? It’s not out of his pocket, is it? He don’t make any money out of me, so it’s pointless. He should worry about his own fighters in his own stable. But considering I’m the hottest property in world boxing, so he’s got to speak about the Gypsy King.

Povetkin was offered the fight, and he chose to fight Hughie [Fury] instead. So I’ve got bigger fish to fry than Povetkin. Povetkin is 40-years-old. He’s not on my radar. He has nothing at all to give me. I’m fighting Deontay Wilder for the lineal heavyweight champion of the world, and the WBC championship. That’s the biggest fight of this generation. There is no bigger fight. It’s the biggest fight in boxing at the moment. There is no bigger fight than me and Deontay Wilder. Yeah,” said Fury when asked if there could be a trilogy fight with Wilder. “I’ve got to get passed Otto Wallin first. My full focus and concern is on Otto Wallin, the blond Swede,” said Fury.

The biggest fight in the heavyweight division is Wilder vs. Joshua. Fury isn’t as big a name as Joshua right now. That could change in the future if he beats Wilder, but right now, Fury isn’t at the level where Joshua is at.