After a tumultuous week in heavyweight boxing that has seen the undisputed title clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua collapse in spectacular fashion, the ‘Gypsy King’ is now set to defend his WBC crown against old rival Deontay Wilder at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on July 24.
‘The Bronze Bomber’ emerged victorious from an arbitration ruling earlier in the week, which backed his claims for a contracted trilogy fight with the Mancunian (having previously drawn in 2018 and lost conclusively in seven rounds in 2020 against arch-rival Fury).
Team Fury believed that the Wilder contract had expired and they were free to embark on a two-fight series with WBA Super, WBO and IBF champion Joshua, but arbitration judge Daniel Weinstein ruled otherwise.
Wilder wasn’t prepared to accept step-aside money and Fury wasn’t willing to offer it anyway so the trilogy bout was on.
Now Fury and Wilder have verbally agreed terms for a third fight in Las Vegas on July 24, according to ESPN.com and other sources. A back-up date of August 14 is also in place.
Contracts are expected to be signed imminently with a 60-40 purse split in Fury’s favour, according to Mark Kriegel of ESPN.
Joshua is likely to face WBO No.1 contender Oleksandr Usyk next or must forfeit that crown after the Puerto Rican sanctioning body demanded proof by today that a Fury bout was happening next.