Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has revealed that Zhilei Zhang is the frontrunner for WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s next fight this summer in July, and he hopes to finalize the deal this weekend.
Arum further states that former unified champion Andy Ruiz Jr isn’t who they’re focusing on for Fury. He doesn’t say why Ruiz isn’t in the picture, but it could mean he wanted too much money or the risk was too high for Fury.
Given the monstrous purse that the 34-year-old Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) is expected to get in December in Saudi Arabia in an undisputed clash against IBF, WBA & WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, it makes sense for Top Rank not to use Ruiz as Tyson’s tune-up opponent in July.
Zhang (25-1-1, 20 KOs) is coming off a big sixth round round stoppage win over Joe Joyce on April 15th in London. Joyce had talked of using his rematch clause to fight Zhang again, but it appears that’s no longer happening.
With Joyce promoted by Queensberry Promotions, who also promotes Fury, he will step aside and let Zhang take the fight with Tyson in July.
For Zhang, it’s a great deal because he’ll get a nice payday in challenging Fury for his WBC title, and if he wins, he could potentially fight this December in Saudi. However, Top Rank & Queensberry will likely stick a rematch clause in the contract, forcing Zhang to fight Fury again if he’s victorious. Regardless, it’ll be good money for Zhang, even if he doesn’t get the opportunity to fight Usyk in Saudi Arabia in December if he beats Fury.
“No, not really. What we’re focusing on is the Chinese kid that beat Joe Joyce,” said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to the Ringside Reporter about Zhilei Zhang being the likely next opponent for WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to fight this summer in July.
“Yes,” Arum said when asked if Zhang is the frontrunner for Fury’s next fight. “It’s likely for July. We’re trying to close that out over this weekend.
“I’ve talked to a representative of ‘Skills Challenge’ that puts on these boxing events in Saudi Arabia,” Arum said when asked about whether he’s had talks with the Saudis for Fury to fight in December in Saudi Arabia.
“That is correct. We know these people. We’ve worked with them in connection with the Jake Paul-Tommy Fury fight, as far as the U.S. television is concerned. So we know who the players are, and we’ve had some very interesting talks with them,” said Arum.
