Boxing’s heavyweight picture post-Wilder vs. Fury II is taking shape. Lance Pugmire of The Athletic tweeted he had spoken to Deontay Wilder and that Wilder would be exercising his rematch clause after losing his WBC title to Fury on Feb. 22.
Although Wilder said he would pursue another clash with Fury, the trilogy fight had not been confirmed until recent comments from Bob Arum of Top Rank Boxing, Fury’s promoter. The fight will take place in roughly four months.
“Wilder and his representatives formally notified us that they have accepted the rematch and are going forward,” Arum said. “It’s going to happen in the summer, before the Olympics, in the middle of July.”
While the time frame is confirmed, the venue and date are not official. Multiple outlets have reported the tentative date will be July 18 with the setting being MGM’s Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. However, Arum said on Everlast’s TalkBox podcast that he is interested in booking Allegiant Stadium. Construction of the future home of the Las Vegas Raiders is scheduled to be finished by July 31.
“If Deontay Wilder wants a rematch, it’s a big, big fight,” Arum said. “We would look at the new Raiders Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to host its first boxing match ever. It’s all good. But everybody… all the promoters, whether it’s Al Haymon or myself… we’re hopefully going to be cooperative here and not blow the moment that boxing has clawed its way back to the mainstream.”
The announcement follows a seven-round shutout in favor of Fury. Wilder suffered a TKO after his co-trainer Mark Breland threw in the towel. Multiple outlets have reported Breland has been retained for the trilogy fight. Wilder blamed the loss, in part, on leg issues before the fight and on his 40-pound walkout costume.
Wilder said in a video posted to social media, “Your king is here, and I’m not going anywhere, for the war has just begun. I’m a king that will never give up and will fight to the death. I am a warrior; I am strong and I will be back.”
The winner of the Wilder-Fury trilogy is expected to face Anthony Joshua at a later date. Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, said he wanted Joshua to face Fury next, but that was before Wilder used his rematch clause.
Joshua has two mandatory challengers to face at the moment, Oleksandr Usyk and Kubrat Pulev. Hearn confirmed the bout against Pulev for Joshua’s IBF title is set for June 20 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The fight will be exclusive to Sky Sports Box Office in the United Kingdom and DAZN in the United States.
The broadcast details for Wilder-Fury III have yet to be announced. Fury discussed retiring on ESPN before handing Wilder his first career loss. The trilogy bout will be one of two left on Fury’s contract, with the Joshua bout possibly being the last of his career.