NONE THE WISER
The Joshuawilder-furywhyte-miller conundrum continues
THE wait might end soon. A rematch between WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and Britain’s
Tyson Fury is richly anticipated after a thrilling draw last December inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles. So too is a first encounter between Fury and division leader,
Anthony Joshua, who is supposedly in talks with Tyson, Jarrell Miller and
Dillian Whyte.
It would seem the negotiations between Wilder and Fury are significantly more advanced than Team Joshua’s negotiations with the “Gyspy King” ever were. Which will leave the WBA, WBO and IBF boss with the undeserving Miller in America in June, or the deserving Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April. It is thought any discussions between Wilder and Joshua are nonexistent at this point.
“We’re negotiating [with Wilder] and I hope by the end of this week we’ll be in a position to announce something one way or another, fingers crossed,” Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, told Boxing News.
Details regarding a potential venue for Wilder-fury II remain under wraps for now, with Warren refusing to be drawn on any efforts to secure the Briton home advantage for the return. Indeed, should the fight happen, and it’s being rumoured for May or June, fully expect the bout to again land on American soil. But it’s fair to wonder why the return hasn’t been announced yet when the first one was supposedly signed and sealed within five minutes.
An insider from Wilder’s camp told
‘I WON’T NEGOTIATE THROUGH THE PRESS. I’M NOT EDDIE HEARN’
Boxing News that the Fury fight is almost certainly going to happen next for the “Bronze Bomber”. No need to worry, then?
“It’s just the usual stuff [in terms of the negotiations],” Warren explained. “I won’t negotiate it through the press, we’re not doing a [Eddie] Hearn job. We’re working hard, both sides, to try and make it happen. We want it, it’s just a matter of getting it over the line so that’s what we’re working on,” the promoter added.
Warren insisted that Fury would prefer the Wilder rematch to challenging Joshua.
“It’s more meaningful fight and it’s a bigger money fight [than Joshua],” he said. “Of course it is, you’ve got American pay-per-view. What are you going to get for Joshua and Tyson? There’s far more money for that [Wilder] fight, it’s much more meaningful. Tyson and Wilder’s last fight generated more income than [Alexander] Povetkin and Joshua.”
“I think Tyson is bigger in England as well now. He is. He didn’t get booed,” Warren sniped. “[ Joshua is] talking about fighting Dillian Whyte again and fighting Jarrell Miller. With the greatest respect, if Jarrell Miller walked in this room, no one would know who he is. Let them get on with it. That’s their business. That’s their problem. They keep worrying about what we’re doing, they should worry about delivering for their man.”
Hearn, for his part, is also hopeful of deliverance. It was presumed Whyte would slot into Joshua’s schedule while Wilder and Fury sorted out their differences. But Whyte has not exactly been full of praise for Hearn and co on social media, triggering Warren to send out an invitation to the perennial contender to join him instead.
“I think we’ll decide this week,” Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports last week. “But whether we let you know is another story. There’s three guys that are interested in the fight – that’s Tyson Fury, Dillian Whyte and Jarrell Miller.
“If it’s Miller, it will be at Madison Square Garden in New York. If it’s the other guys, it’s going to be at Wembley.
“Joshua is already in camp. He keeps himself in training all the time. He’s waiting on the news. I’m going to see him on Friday night, sit down with him and go through exactly where we’re at.
“We’ll be making some big decisions this weekend.”
If big decisions were indeed made, the name of Anthony Joshua’s next opponent is ready to be announced. Whyte has said an announcement is imminent on his next opponent. American press remain convinced that it will be Miller who gets the chance. A chance, it must be said again, that he has not earned in the ring.
So it’s probably fair to rule out Joshuafury at this point. Waiting and hoping for that showdown of the ages, at least this early in the year, would seem pointless. But the longer this whole thing drags, the more unpredictable it all gets.
Joshua’s last appearance at Wembley Stadium against Alexander Povetkin was preceded by similarly long and winding guessing games. That bout was confirmed 10 weeks before they fought. April 13, the date reserved for Joshua, is now 11 weeks away. Sooner rather than later, that date will have to be honoured or rejected.
Closer than that, and another date that could provide another twist, is Tuesday February 5, when the WBC will demand purse bids for Wilder-fury II if a deal has not already been agreed.
Warren remains hopeful it won’t get that far. Boxing News just hope that this time next week, or even by the time you read this, the heavyweight puzzle has been solved and all the pieces are in place to provide fans with the heavyweight action they desire in 2019.
‘JOSHUA IS ALREADY IN CAMP, TRAINING ALL THE TIME’