Negotiations to stage a rematch between WBC king Deontay Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) and Tyson Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs) missed a second deadline on Tuesday.
“Things have gotten delayed a little, but as far as I know there are no issues,” Wilder’s co-manager, Shelly Finkel told ESPN. “I would hope the fight is completed late this week or early next week.”
Both parties were initially given until February 5 to broker a deal for the hotly anticipated rematch but were permitted further time to iron out the details – a common concession.
A second delay to proceedings suggests the WBC are comfortable with the progress being made and that the contest will shortly be announced.
The WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán told ESPN: “I have been in direct communication with both parties and they have indicated that they are in goodwill negotiations, very close to reaching an agreement.”
In the circumstance that Frank Warren, Shelly Finkel and Al Haymon fail to hammer out a deal, the heavyweight clash would go to purse bids.
Promotor Eddie Hearn has publically stated he would lobby his American streaming partner DAZN to place a bid on the match-up should this unlikely scenario transpire.
Wilder and Fury cancelled each other out in a gripping draw on December 01 in Los Angeles. The Englishman survived two-knockdowns but is widely considered to have won the contest.
Las Vegas and New York are both rumoured to stage the heavyweight showdown. There does not appear to be a desire to bring the fight back to California after promoter Frank Warren admitted to difficulties in dealing with the local commission.