Promoter Eddie Hearn has cast doubt that WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder will take place on October 9.
Fury-Wilder III has had a complicated journey with the previously contracted bout enforced by an arbitrator just as it seemed the ‘Gypsy King’ would face WBA Super, IBF and WBO champion Anthony Joshua in a money-spinning summer unification in Saudi Arabia.
The trilogy fight was slated for July 24 in Las Vegas until Fury tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced to a withdraw. A new date of October 7 was announced soon afterwards, but Joshua’s promoter Hearn isn’t sure that will happen either with no tickets on sale and all quiet on the promotional front with the bout less than a month away.
“Is that fight even happening?” Hearn told The Sun. “We are about to announce our next America show for October 16 and that’s only six weeks away and it’s tight but it’s not as big a card as Fury vs Wilder III should be.
“They have sold no tickets and there is absolutely zero hype around the fight. I am sure, if it happens, that people will turn on and watch it but no one is flying to Vegas. I reckon 75 per cent of the people that went to the second fight were Brits who had flown over and normal fans cannot do that now.”
Matchroom boss Hearn hopes that Fury and Wilder can finish their business so the undisputed heavyweight title fight between the Gypsy King and Joshua can become a reality after protracted talks came to nothing with the enforcement of Fury-Wilder III in May.
Should that not be the case, Hearn believes Fury should be stripped of the WBC crown or demoted to allow WBC Interim champion Dillian Whyte his opportunity.
“I want it to happen 100 per cent,” said Hearn. “I want a winner of that fight finally sorted so we can try again to make AJ’s undisputed fight. But if it doesn’t happen then the WBC have to finally put Fury into recess.
“Fury has not boxed since February 2020 and if he doesn’t box in October then it will be almost two years since that title was defended. I think he needs to fight because otherwise he needs to be stripped of the title or made Champion In Recess.
“Because Dillian Whyte has been sitting there as interim champion desperate and deserving of a shot.”
Main image: Matchroom Boxing.