Fury was expected to have a trilogy battle with Wilder on December 19 at Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, but the plans appear to have fallen apart.
What’s next for the WBC and direct heavyweight champion who punished Wilder for seven rounds at his second meeting in February and won by TKO? Will he fight a possible unification of the world titles with Anthony Joshua in 2021?
Meanwhile, Wilder is contractually entitled to a trilogy fight with Fury. What should Wilder do if the two sides cannot organize this fight?
The ESPN Panel of Experts, made up of Ben Baby, Steve Kim, Nick Parkinson and Cameron Wolfe, examines these and other issues.
Who is your preferred opponent for Tyson Fury and why?
Baby: Top Rank and Fury have the difficult task of balancing activity and risk when it comes to finding Fury’s closest opponent. Anger needs some work before a possible fight against Anthony Joshua in 2021. However, he cannot risk someone cutting him or causing complications when it comes to a Joshua megafight.
Icelander Robert Helenius could be a perfect option. Helenius became more recognizable after knocking out Adam Kownacki in March. But more importantly, Helenius is an Orthodox fighter of similar stature to Joshua. If Fury has another fight this year, it could also be someone helping him prepare for AJ.
Kim: While everyone would prefer a living body for anger, there is a reality in this situation. If this is a fight for Fury leading to a fight with Anthony Joshua, Fury’s handlers aren’t going to take too many risks. One guy that makes sense is Agit Kabayel, who is rated by the WBC (15th), has an unbeaten record (20-0, 13 KOs) and is credible, but still relatively safe. He is also promoted by Top Rank. Again, my preference is for Fury and Joshua to fight right away, but that just won’t happen at this moment.
Parkinson: It’s likely that Fury will face a fight if he doesn’t fight Wilder in December, and due to coronavirus restrictions, the opponent will likely be from the UK or Europe. Fury’s promoters don’t want anything too risky, so forget about a fight against someone like Daniel Dubois. German Agit Kabayel may also be too dangerous, but 39-year-old French Johann Duhaupas, French Carlos Takam (defeated by Joshua in 2017), Finn Robert Helenius and Dutch Ricardo Snijders (recently beaten by Dubois) could fall short of the list .
Wolfe: Given that, we expect Fury to pick an enemy Instead of a top 10 heavyweight, I’ll name a few names that might spark interest: Efe Ajagba, Carlos Takam or an Otto Wallin rematch.
A fight against Fury might be too early for Ajagba, a 25-year-old Nigerian (14-0, 11 KOs), but if his team is willing to take the risk, given Fury’s previous ridicule of Anthony Joshua, that could agree Storylines lead and Nigeria. Remember, Fury wore a Nigerian mouthguard to mock Joshua in the last Wilder fight. Ajagba is a well-respected heavyweight but would be a significant underdog. Takam (39-5-1, 26 KOs) offers a veteran option who fought Joshua, Dereck Chisora and Alexander Povetkin. Takam is entertaining and has taken four wins.
Both Ajagba and Takam are promoted by Top Rank, so these fights would be easy to fight. After all, Fury would earn a lot of respect if he gave Wallin – who gave him his toughest fight in two years – a rematch.
Will Fury ever face Deontay Wilder a third time?
Baby: Yes, but not shortly. Wilder was hit so badly in the rematch that he will need another fight to think twice and get used to a new coach after firing Mark Breland after losing to Fury. If we’re honest, there are very few fights for Fury and Wilder that would be as profitable as a third fight in the trilogy. From a financial point of view, it would be stupid for both men not to accept this fight.
Kim: Hard to say, but speaking to Wilder’s agent Shelly Finkel (who didn’t comment on the current situation on Monday) it is clear that he feels he has a contract for a third fight. The reality is this: while no one else wants to see Fury-Wilder III, what’s earmarked for this fight is currently likely to outperform the financial terms of any other potential fight for Wilder. This is mainly why some factions crave a third chapter – it’s the most money without risking a loss first. I believe if they actually have a contractual right to a third run-through, it will eventually be carried out.
Parkinson: If Fury is contractually bound to face Wilder again, then yes, and maybe in the first quarter of 2021. Or Wilder could agree to have an intermediate match as long as he is guaranteed a shot at the winner of Fury-Joshua in late 2021 … if Fury-Joshua in the end is made. We’ll have clarity on the confusing situation by mid-December after Joshua next defends his WBA, IBF and WBO versions of the world heavyweight title.
Wolfe: If both keep winning, it feels inevitable. When Fury becomes the unified heavyweight champion next year, Wilder will be high on the list as the best and most financially fruitful matchup. Wilder is still a hugely popular fighter in the United States, and a couple of knockout wins would help him regain some of the prestige Fury stole from him in their February fight. So yeah, I think we’re going to get Fury-Wilder III, but it might not be until 2022 or later.
How do you see a fight between Fury and Anthony Joshua?
Baby: I like Fury via Knockout. Joshua looks like a big heavyweight, but as we saw in the first fight against Andy Ruiz and defeating Wladimir Klitschko, he’s too easy to hit at times. Anger has the power and ingenuity of the ring to give Joshua seizures and ultimately land a power shot that can turn a fight around forever. But it turns out to be a wildly entertaining fight that is billed as a megafight. Hopefully we’ll see it in the UK with a full crowd in the next 18 months.
Kim: Fury’s perks in terms of movement, fluidity, and boxing IQ give him an edge over Joshua, who looked like a much more cautious boxer in his rematch with Andy Ruiz last December. Trust is a big part of this sport, and Fury has never been lacking in that department while there are still questions about Joshua. Right now the choice is anger through clear decision or delayed interruption.
Parkinson: I’d love to see what Joshua looks like against Kubrat Pulev on December 12th before I make the right judgment, but based on their previous games, I prefer Fury on points. Anger against Wilder in February showed that his boxing ability, range, movement, and ring intelligence set him apart as the choice for most people. Joshua was a little cautious in his points win over Andy Ruiz last December to try to win back the titles after looking vulnerable in a loss to Ruiz earlier last year. If Joshua can show an improvement in confidence and a return of his explosive strength against Pulev, he could get me and others to reconsider the outcome.
Wolfe: Anger turns him out. I’m still not convinced that Andy Ruiz Jr.’s first fight was a fluke, and Joshua, exposed in that matchup, gives Fury enough weakness to take prey. I’m not sure if Joshua has many advantages over Fury to hang his hat on. Anger has been on a mission since he returned to boxing, and his quick unorthodox style should allow him to tear Joshua apart in their fights.
Where should Wilder go from here?
Baby: Wilder must find a coach he trusts and rebuild his confidence after being destroyed by Fury in their rematch. When Wilder switched coaches it was a sign that Wilder felt he needed a significant change to get back to the top of the heavyweight division. It could be the pull Wilder needs to find his groove again. After all, Fury left Ben Davison, his longtime trainer, after he drew in the first fight. Still, it’s stupid to write off Wilder after losing it. For all his flaws, as long as he has that thundering right hand, he will always be in a fight.
Kim: If the third fight with Fury isn’t next, Wilder really has no choice but to fight a catch-up fight in the meantime. That wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world considering how the last fight with Fury played out in February. The PBC has a stable of heavyweights to choose from (from the likes of Charles Martin to Gerald Washington), or they can go outside and choose another relatively safe body to keep Wilder busy before heading up against Fury again.
Parkinson: The best option to underscore his qualifications for a shot at Fury or Joshua in 2021 would be to face the winners of Alexander Povetkin and Dillian Whyte, who will face each other again on November 21 after Povetkin’s angry knockout in August. Beating Povetkin or Whyte would bolster Wilder’s case for a WBC title shot. However, if Wilder needs a US-based opponent, what about Charles Martin?
Wolfe: Wilder needs to get his fear back. That made him become such a terrible heavyweight and now it’s gone. You get your fear back by turning people off quickly. So I’d suggest that Wilder get a fight or two where he can do this, and then work his way towards destroying non-rage heavyweight competitors. Though his pride is likely hurt, should Wilder once again forget about Fury, score three or four straight wins (and knockouts), and then seek revenge in the trilogy. If Wilder is looking for a non-anger opponent who deserves some respect in 2021, Andy Ruiz Jr. and Joseph Parker are both making sense in the second half and are both selling.
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