TYSON FURY has dealt Anthony Joshua’s unification dreams a massive blow by confirming he will have a trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder.
Fury and Wilder will step into the ring for their long-awaited rematch on Saturday night in Las Vegas with the American’s WBC heavyweight belt on the line once again.
Tyson Fury revealed he will face Deontay Wilder for a third time before facing Anthony JoshuaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And with Joshua reclaiming the IBF, WBA and WBO titles by beating Andy Ruiz Jr at the second time of asking in December, he would surely be hoping to take on the winner in an attempt to take control of the heavyweight division.
But Fury threw a spanner in the works by revealing he will fight Wilder for a third time before he would take on AJ in an all-British showdown.
Asked if he agreed a bout with Joshua is the next step should he win on Saturday, Fury told Sky Sports: “No, I don’t unfortunately. I’ve got another fight with Wilder.
“I’ve got a trilogy with old Deontay Wilder. And then we’ll see where that goes. And then who knows? May have a fourth and fifth fight.
“There’s too much money in the pot for him [Wilder] not to want a rematch.
“I’ll win so I’ll be having a rematch either way.
“All I do is win, win, win, no matter what. Unless it’s a draw.”
AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn is keen to get his man in the ring with the winner – but looks as though he will have to wait.
The Matchroom chief, who reckons Wilder will KO Fury, said: “We have to put the pressure on the winner to finally get our fight on in 2020.
“We will have a conversation and say: ‘Are you doing a third fight? If so, can you do it quickly please?'”
Frank Warren – Fury’s UK promoter – also reckons a third fight with Wilder is on the cards.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “The loser has 30 days to call on the rematch and that has to be accepted.”
Speaking to talkSPORT, Warren added: “Tyson is going to be back in the ring with Wilder on February 22.
“And they will fight again, irrespective of who wins, in the summer. So that, at the moment, is all tied up.”
Fury was controversially denied a famous win when he fought Wilder for the first time in December 2018.
But the Gypsy King reckons he is in the best shape physically to take on Wilder and land the victory come Saturday night.
He said: “For the first time in my life I can call myself a professional athlete.
“When I beat Klitschko, in the press conference (for the cancelled rematch) I said, ‘Do not call me an athlete, because I’m not one’. And I pulled my shirt up and showed my big belly.
“It was a disgrace to call me an athlete then. But now you can call me a dedicated athlete for the last two years.”
Joshua currently holds the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles and will be desperate to add the WBC belt to his collectionCredit: Splash News
Fury vs Wilder 2 – Date, UK start time, live stream, TV channel, full undercard and latest odds for HUGE Vegas fight
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
