LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 01: Deontay Wilder punches Tyson Fury in the ninth round fighting to a draw during the WBC Heavyweight Championship at Staples Center on December 1, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.
The third fight between two of the best heavyweights of all-time is officially confirmed. Deontay Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) had a limit of 25 days after the second fight to request a third fight with champion Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs). Fury defeated Wilder on February 22 via TKO after his corner threw the towel in the ring following an overwhelming beat down by the “Gypsy King.”
Top Rank Boxing chairman and Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum spoke to ESPN on Sunday and said the initial plan was to have the fight on July 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“Now we will sit down and go through all the details for the fight,” Arum said. Before Wilder exercised his rematch clause, Arum considered having the fight in the fall if Wilder and Premier Boxing Champions preferred it that way, but both parties decided that July 18 was reasonable and Arum confirmed that the fight will once again be a joint pay-per-view between ESPN and Fox, who are broadcasters of Top Rank and PBC respectively.
“We realized that date was the favorite of both ESPN and Fox because it comes at a dead time in sports, which is good for the fight,” Arum said. “It’s after the basketball playoffs, baseball is in the middle of the season and there’s no football. It’s the ideal time. The hotel, MGM Grand, also believes it to be an ideal time.”
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Under contract stipulations, Arum claimed the fight must be held in Las Vegas, New York or Los Angeles but that Las Vegas was the most convenient for an event held in July. Fury and Wilder split the earnings 50-50 for the second fight, but Fury will claim 60-40 in the third fight because of his victory.
Arum later added that he was not surprised by Wilder’s decision for a third fight. “I figured he would do it because I have had enough experience with rematches to know that anything can happen and guys can change their strategy and want the opportunity to [avenge] the loss,” Arum told ESPN.
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