September 15, (THEWILL) – As the new date for the third in the series of bouts between heavyweight contender Deontay Wilder and heavyweight champion Tyson Fury draws closer, Wilder has threatened that there will be severe consequences for Fury if he withdraws from their imminent October 9 fight.
With stories beginning to make the rounds of the possibility of Fury pulling out of their agreed rematch, Wilder is claiming except he receives the money due to him and the WBC title, if Fury withdraws for a second time, there will be trouble.
He said: “If he don’t show up he’s gonna have to suffer the consequences, the penalties that’ve been set forth. If he don’t fight, then pay me what you’re supposed to pay me. Then you have to give up that belt as well.”
THEWILL recalls that after a contentious draw in their first fight, the American and British heavyweight fighters had a rematch back in February 2020. Fury defeated the then World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion in several rounds to capture the WBC belt.
There were several disruptions in the pandemic-affected 2020 to organise the contractual and mandatory third fight, and Fury and his handlers proclaimed that Wilder’s immediate rematch clause had expired and the contract no longer binding.
Wilder did not accept that opinion and a legal action ensued. He brought the case for arbitration, citing signed contracts that provided a clause mandating a rematch. The arbitrator, retired judge Daniel Weinstein, examined the evidence and ruled in Wilder’s favour with an order for Fury to honor the rematch clause, with a deadline set for September 15.
To meet this deadline, the finalised unification bout between Fury and three-belt heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, was set aside, and the fight was fixed for Saturday, July 24 in Las Vegas.
Unfortunately, this did not hold after COVID-19 infections in Fury’s camp forced the WBC heavyweight champion to shut his camp down and go into self isolation. This put their trilogy fight off until the new date, October 9, and venue, Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena, were agreed.
“So, it’s a win-win situation for me, it’s a lose-lose situation for him. That’s the great thing about it cause, the saying has always said that history repeats itself.
“We know his actions are always the same, he’s done this many of times where he tries to get out of fights. He has had a door to escape from. But at this moment in time he has no more doors, no options. He has to put up or shut up, fight or retire. Either fight and give me my money or give up that belt. It’s a win-win situation for me and with that being said I can sleep at night.
“We had go to court through arbitration just to get this fight. They always talk about how easy the fight was but they really know what the real was. If it was so easy, we wouldn’t be going through this. I don’t think any other fighter would have to go through this, but being that it’s me and how dangerous I am they try to avoid me.
“Which is ok, it boosts my confidence even more. These guys avoid me so much, it’s sickening for the sport. Everybody got Covid or all these guys juicing and cheating, it’s just ridiculous,” Wilder said.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
