A third fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder might’ve just become more likely.
Fury announced on social media Sunday night that he has scrapped plans to make a voluntary title defense on Dec. 5 in the U.K. amid news that Wilder is pursuing arbitration to enforce a rematch clause in the contract for their second fight in February, which Fury won by knockout.
That means Fury-Wilder III could take place early next year, although it appears to be far from settled.
The news also puts a crimp into the plans of titleholder Anthony Joshua, who had agreed to fight Fury twice in 2021. Joshua, who defends his titles against Kubrat Pulev on Dec. 12, now joins the rest of us in a wait-and-see mode.
Wilder exercised the rematch option shortly after the Feb. 22 fight. However, after several delays, Fury decided to move on. He planned to fight Agit Kabayel on Dec. 5, although the deal hadn’t been finalized.
Fury’s representatives have said that the contracted time period for a rematch has expired.
Meanwhile, Fury told The (London) Telegraph that he would never fight Wilder again after his rival claimed he loaded his gloves for their fights.
“Deontay Wilder has tried to bring my character down with the bulls— he’s said,” Fury said. “If I was like the rest of the world, I’d probably sue him for defamation for about $100 million, but I’m not really interested in doing that type of thing.
“He’ll never get a shot at me — finished, never — for what he’s said.”
Perhaps the ruling of the arbitrator could change his mind.
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