As a second wave of the Coronavirus approaches, Tyson Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren has insisted that the Gypsy King’s contracted trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder will have fans in attendance or move to a safer region offering a huge site fee.
With boxing in the UK and US currently taking place behind closed doors with no end in sight to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the fight game has taken a huge shot below the belt and in the pocket.
As it stands, Anthony Joshua’s December engagement with Kubrat Pulev will take place with no crowd in the UK, but Warren insists that Fury-Wilder III will require a live gate. The bout is tentatively scheduled for December 19 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas with socially distanced fans in attendance.
“Wilder and Fury was the highest grossing [heavyweight] fight to ever take place in Vegas,” Warren told Good Morning Britain. “We just can’t lose that gate. It’s a huge amount of money. We need the gate. Or we come up with a scenario where there is a huge site fee from a territory to take it, and we use it to promote their country. We are looking at those situations.”
***
Former two-weight world champion Sergio Martinez (52-3-2, 29 KOs) will continue his comeback against Finland’s Jussi Koivula in Torrelavega, Spain, on December 5.
Martinez, 45, returned in August after a six-year hiatus with eyes on a fight against WBA Regular middleweight champion Ryota Murata and is already rated by the sanctioning body.
Koivula (24-7-1, 9 KOs) was last seen losing in the second round to 147-pounder Conor Benn in June 2019.
***
Puerto Rican lightweight hope Nestor Bravo (19-0, 13 KOs) outscored durable Californian Jose Luis Gallegos (19-9, 14 KOs) in the main event of a PBC Fight Night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. Scores were 97-91 and 96-92 (twice).
After establishing an early body attack, Bravo was deducted a point for multiple fouls in the ninth and rocked in the final round, but held on for victory.
On the same card, Los Angeles’ Victor Pasillas (16-0, 9 KOs) won a battle of unbeaten featherweights by halting Dominican Ranfis Encarnacion (17-1, 13 KOs) in the sixth round. A patient Pasillas hurt Encarnacion in the fifth before dropping him in the sixth with a straight left. The Dominican rose for more, but the contest was waved off.
Pasillas now plans to drop down a division and compete for titles. “I want to take over the 122lbs division,” said Pasillas. “Making 126lbs was easy for this fight. There are a lot of great fighters at 122lbs. Whoever wants to do it, line them up. Because I’m taking all my straps.”
Main image: Fury dominates Wilder in their sequel. Photo: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions.