By Charles Brun: Tyson Fury is focusing 100% on his trilogy match with Deontay Wilder, and if he can win that fight, then he’ll be looking at who’s next.
There’s a lot of talk about Fury fighting Anthony Joshua in a match for the undisputed heavyweight championship in 2020, possibly or in early 2020, but Tyson is having none of it. He’s only worried about fighting Wilder, and he’s not going to take his eyes off the prize.
Boxing fans don’t want to see Fury face Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs), but they have no control over the matter. Wilder has a rematch clause in his contract from his previous fight against Fury last February.
Fury giving Wilder his full respect
At the time of that fight, the 6’7″ Deontay was the WBC heavyweight champion. Deontay made sure that he had a rematch clause in the contract for the third contest between them.
“The only thing I’m concentrating on right now is fighting Deontay Wilder for a third time and being victorious in that fight because I never look past any opponent, and especially not one as dangerous as Deontay Wilder.
“He needs the utmost respect because he is a great champion and he is one of the most fierce punchers in boxing,” said Fury. The rest of those guys, I’m not too concerned about.”
Fury says he rates Wilder as the most dangerous heavyweight in the division, and he’s not worried about the other fighters. He knows that with Wilder’s right-hand power, he’s capable of knocking him out as he did in their first fight in 2018.
Wilder had Fury knocked unconscious in the 12th, but the referee gave a count to the 6’9″ Gypsy King while he was asleep, and he eventually woke up.
Did the referee Jack Reiss give Fury a break that he wouldn’t have done to someone less popular? Some boxing fans wonder.
Should Fury give Wilder a step aside payment?
It would be smart for Fury to give Wilder a step aside payment so that he can face Joshua. Fury has already refused the idea of giving Wilder a step aside payment, and he likely won’t change his mind on it.
Yeah, Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) would lose money initially in paying Wilder to move out of the way, but he’d make out like a bandit after he faces Joshua in their mega-fight.
“I must fight Deontay Wilder again; I must fight (Anthony) Joshua. I must fight them all,” said Fury. “I’m only the third heavyweight to win two Ring Magazine championships. Me, Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson,” said Fury. “That’ a little bit of history for you as well. ”
Fury is only going to get a fight against Joshua if both guys win their next bouts. Joshua has to defend against his IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev on December 12th.
If Fury defeats Wilder, and AJ wins his bout, then there’s nothing blocking their fight other than Dillian Whyte. Whyte is facing Alexander Povetkin in November, and if Dillian wins that match, then he’ll be the WBC mandatory once again.
Fury may need to defend against him if the World Boxing Council forces the fight.