Frank Warren has given the inside scoop as to the recent rumours of a fourth fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
And, the short of it is, they’re false. Much has been made on social media about the potential quadrilogy ever since it was revealed that a fight with Oleksandr Usyk still hasn’t been signed.
Fury drew with Wilder in 2018 before knocking him out in their second and third bouts – 2020 and 2021. Wilder still remains the WBC’s number one challenger, so it’s not out of the question that he may face Fury for the fourth time should the Brit hold onto the belt.
However, Warren told TalkSPORT that it wasn’t something that was being explored in the slightest.
“Not to my knowledge at all, not to my knowledge. No, absolutely. That’s not happened. From what I understand, I think he [Wilder] been ordered to fight Andy Ruiz to become the mandatory.”
The promoter revealed that the focus remains on Usyk, and that a deal was getting closer – even joking that he may use an old business tactic to get the Ukrainian’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, to agree.
“We are very, very close to getting this done. Very, very close. His people are coming in tomorrow and I’m hoping we’re gonna get some news for everybody. We’re close to getting it done.”
Tomorrow we’re gonna meet up. Alex Krassyuk, his promoter, is coming to the Arsenal vs Man City game with me. I’m hoping that if I can get enough wine down him that we can do the deal … We’re meeting him to get an agreement on the various scenarios to make it happen.”
Finally, Warren addressed the rumours that Saudi was no longer an option due to stadium construction issues. He said that it was still on the table, but confirmed that they have tentatively booked Wembley Stadium for April 29.
“There’s a few more hurdles for both sides to get over. They’re not [insurmountable], not at all. Location is the main thing. If we go abroad, then you go there for a premium, that’s the reason you do it. If not, then we get down to the reality of what it’ll be at Wembley where the numbers are what they are.”
“We’ve got a pencil on it [Wembley] for obvious reasons, just in case, we’ve gotta make sure we’ve got some insurance. So there’s a pencil on the date.
“In a perverse way I would like to see it at Wembley because I’d like to see all the records broken and obviously see the fight in the UK. But from the boxers and their bank managers’ point of view, they would like to maximise what they can earn for an historic fight.”
An update on this weeks’ talks is expected soon.