By Jeff Aronow: In a real shocker, Tyson Fury now must face Deontay Wilder in a rematch by September 15th based on today’s ruling by the arbitrator on Monday, which could get in the way of the Fury’s August 14th fight against Anthony Joshua.
On the positive side, the arbitrator left open the possibility of an extension before Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) would need to face the former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs).
For that to happen, Fury would need to pay Wilder a step aside fee from the $155 million site fee for his August 14th clash against Joshua in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
If Fury refuses to pay Wilder a step aside fee, their September 15th fight will likely occur in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Allegiant Stadium. That’s where Fury’s promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank had planned as the location for the Wilder rematch if the Joshua fight fell through, according to ESPN.
Fury will need to pay Wilder to step aside
Given that this is Fury’s problem, not Joshua, the step aside will likely need to come from his $75 million purses for the fight.
On that front, Fury has talked negatively about paying a step aside. Considering how much money it’ll probably take to satisfy Wilder’s step aside fee, it might be prohibitive for Fury, particularly if he’s forced to give up $20 million of his $75 million purse for the fight with Joshua.
“In granting Wilder’s injunction, former federal judge Daniel Weinstein declined to award Wilder — who initiated the action — any monetary damages and allowed for the possibility that Fury and Wilder could agree to an extension,” said Mark Kriegel of ESPN.
Unless the same people from the Saudi Kingdom wish to help Fury out with the step aside to pay Wilder off, it’s very likely ‘The Gypsy King’ will need to fight him on September 15th.
The step aside fee will have to be huge to get Wilder to move out of the way because he’ll be getting a massive amount of money by fighting Fury on September 15th.
It’s not in Wilder’s best interest to step aside because if Fury loses to Joshua on August 14th, his value will plummet.
So if Wilder were to fight Fury later this year, the rematch would probably generate less interest from boxing fans, and, of course, less money.
Additionally, if Wilder steps aside to let Fury fight Joshua on August 14th, he’ll likely need to step aside for the second Fury-Joshua fight as well. Wilder would be stepping aside twice for both Joshua-Fury fights to take place this year.
It’s not worth it for Wilder to step aside
Again, if Fury loses to Joshua, Wilder would be getting a badly tarnished Gypsy King when he eventually faces him. That means less money for him.
That’s why it’s not worth agreeing to a step aside fee if you’re Wilder unless the money is comparable to what he would be making if he were fighting Fury on September 15th.
Fury’s career will be in the dumps if he loses to Joshua twice this year, and who knows where he’ll be at mentally. Fury could be a basketcase for all intents and purposes by the time Joshua gets done with him in their two fights.
Wilder won’t get much money fighting what’s left of Fury after those two fights, and, of course, he won’t receive credit for beating him if he were to win.
Fury would have a handy excuse to tell his fans why he lost to Wilder, and it would be an empty victory for the Bronze Bomber.
On Monday, Fury posted a Tweet, saying that his unification fight with Anthony Joshua was “100 percent on” for August 14th in Saudi Arabia. Fury revealed that he’d spoken to Prince Khalid, who had assured him that the fight would be taking place.
Fury defeated Wilder by a seventh-round knockout last year in their rematch in February 2020 in Las Vegas. In the first Fury-Wilder first fight in 2018, it ended in a 12 round draw.
The ending was controversial as many boxing fans believed Fury was given a long count in the 12th after being knocked cold by Wilder.