Fury fight inches closer
WBC PUT TYSON BACK IN RING WITH WILDER
THE rematch between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder has moved one step closer after the World Boxing Council (WBC) officially ordered the pair to step in the ring together again.
Manchester heavyweight Fury and the American champion Wilder did battle in an epic contest in Los Angeles early in December.
Fury put in a heroic performance, remarkably climbing off the canvas after a heavy knockdown in the final round.
Many in the boxing world thought 30-year-old Fury had clearly won but it was controversially ruled a draw.
The WBC had already moved aside Wilder’s mandatory commitments when they sanctioned an immediate rematch before Christmas.
It wasn’t set in stone, with former unified world champion Fury also receiving an offer to fight fellow Brit Anthony Joshua at Wembley in April.
However a second clash with Wilder, and a shot at his world title, now looks certain to take place after the WBC officially ordered it.
Negotiations between both camps are already underway but the sanctioning body says it will go to purse bids on February 5 if no deal is agreed before then.
Purse bids sees any interested parties, usually both fighters’ promoters, submit bids with the highest offer winning the right to stage screen the fight on TV.
The WBC have also ruled there will be a 60/40 per cent split in favour of the champion, instead of the usual 70/30, which they say reflects the ‘market value of Fury.’
In a statement last night they said: “Consistent with the WBC Board of governors voting regarding the direct rematch between WBC champion Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, the WBC is hereby notifying both camps that the free negotiation period is opened and if there is no agreement between the parties a purse bid will be conducted by the WBC on Tuesday February 5th.
“The WBC has modified the 70-30 split and has confirmed a 60-40 split in favour of the champion Wilder considering the market value of Fury.”
In the aftermath of the first fight, Fury, born in Wythenshawe and raised in Styal, Cheshire, said he would love the rematch at Old Trafford, home of his beloved United.
But the money on offer in the United States means it is most likely to be held there again, with Las Vegas currently the frontrunner.
Yesterday Fury turned heads when he said if fights with Wilder of Joshua didn’t come off, he would like to give an unknown fighter a shot at his lineal title like Apollo Creed did with Rocky Balboa in the iconic film series.