Page 16 - Boxing News Magazine (January 2020)
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Photo: ESTHER LIN/SHOWTIME























































                WILDER vs                                                   FURY II:







                John        HOW BIG IS THIS FIGHT?    Joshua has engaged in negotiations   boxing, Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum
                            It is huge. There are three big   with Wilder’s team before, which failed.   and Wilder’s representative Al Haymon
            Dennen          names in heavyweight boxing   It is hard to be optimistic that those   had to set aside their commercial
           considers        right now and in this fight two   wouldn’t collapse again, but if Fury wins   rivalry to work together. That it has
                       1 of them are combining. Deontay   in February, a fight with Joshua might,   happened now has huge implications
           the major   Wilder and Tyson Fury fought over a   perhaps, be easier to make. Only time   for making future super-fights.
        issues ahead   year ago for the WBC heavyweight   will tell, but either way Wilder-Fury is a   Veteran promoter Arum is a master
                       crown. That was a major event then,   tremendous way to kick off 2020.  at building fights. He decided that
               of the   but resulting in a controversial draw                              Fury’s rematch with Wilder
            Deontay    generated a even greater furore       HOW HARD WAS       THE BIG      would be bigger if they gave
                       afterward, which will draw even more   THIS FIGHT TO   +REMATCH+       it time. With Top Rank, Fury
           Wilder vs   attention to the rematch. Furthermore,   MAKE?                         fought twice in Las Vegas
          Tyson Fury   in another breakthrough, Fox Sports   You’d think      WILDER-FURY II  and toured American
                       and ESPN, the two biggest broadcasters  2 after boxing                 media studios, while Wilder
          rematch at   in America, will work together for their   once before it would       fought in both Brooklyn and
           the MGM     first joint boxing pay-per-view. With   straightforward to put       Las Vegas. It also meant that
                       their muscle behind it that too can be   together a second deal for a   the bout became big enough to
        Grand in Las   expected to bring in a vast audience.  rematch. But Fury was early into a   bring the Fox and ESPN networks
            Vegas on     Of course, this fight will dictate the   comeback when he took the Wilder   together. It was a risk to wait so long,
                       future of the heavyweight division. If   fight first time around and he emerged   one of them could have lost for instance
        February 22    Wilder-Fury produces a clear winner   with great credit. It set him up for   or the relevant parties could have
                       the obvious thing to happen next would   a lucrative deal with promotional   failed to close the deal. But now that
                       be for Anthony Joshua to fight the   powerhouse Top Rank. To make this   it is indeed happening, it looks to be a
                       victor for the undisputed championship.   rematch the two most powerful men in   promotional masterstroke.


        14 O BOXING NEWS O JANUARY 9, 2020                                              w w w . b o x i n g n e w s o n l i n e . n e t
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