Bob Arum Says Deontay Wilder “Just Wants His Name Out There,” Confirms The February Rematch With Tyson Fury Is Signed
What to make of Deontay Wilder’s recent comments regarding how, in his opinion, Tyson Fury will agree to “step aside” and allow him to fight the winner of the December 7 Andy Ruiz-Anthony Joshua rematch and THEN fight Fury in a return bout later on?
Wilder spoke about this to 78 Sports TV this week:
“In my opinion, I don’t feel Fury wants to fight me again anyway,” the reigning WBC heavyweight king said. “If this opportunity comes about, I think Fury will pass up his opportunity, he would want me to fight me for the unification, and then come back and fight him.”
Yet now promoter Bob Arum has given his side:
“Forget about it,” the Top Rank boss said to boxing writer Michael Woods. “It’s Wilder being Wilder. The fight is signed, it’s gonna happen. Don’t pay any attention to Wilder, he just wants his name out there. You can’t listen to these guys. I mean, maybe if there isn’t a signed contract, maybe then someone saying something means something. [But] February 22nd is the working date, correct.”
It seems odd that Wilder would talk the way he did when he knows he has actually put pen to paper and signed on for the return bout with Fury. In any case, those fans who want to see a return slice of the often thrilling action Wilder and Fury gave us back on December 1st of last year, can now seemingly relax. The sequel WILL happen, at least according to Arum it will.
What might happen in the meantime could prove interesting, however, with Fury all set to face unbeaten Swedish puncher Otto Wallin on September 14th, and Wilder (we think) to face Cuban southpaw dangerman Luis Ortiz in a rematch later on, in November.
Let’s just hope neither unbeaten heavyweight star comes a cropper before February of 2020. Yes, it’s been said before, but boxing really does need to see Wilder-Fury II.