Deontay Wilder Wins Arbitration, Fury vs. Joshua Bout in Jeopardy,Bob Arum & Eddie Hearn’s Reaction
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Las Vegas (May 19th, 2021)– Just when you think the heavyweight division and its politics cannot get any more confusing, it gets Wilder! A civil arbitration decision has put the Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua mega bout tentatively planned for the Fall of 2021 in serious jeopardy.
Retired Federal judge Daniel Weinstein, the civil arbitrator in the Tyson Fury versus Deontay Wilder III rematch clause dispute, ruled in favor of Wilder on Monday May 17, 2021, saying Fury owes Wilder an immediate third fight, based on the terms of their February 20, 2020 contract together. Fury and Wilder signed a two fight deal (before their second bout). There remains disagreement over the interpretation of the mandatory rematch clause. The arbitrator’s ruling means the rematch clause is valid and enforceable.
The civil arbitrator’s ruling does not mean Tyson Fury cannot fight Anthony Joshua. It means Fury must give Wilder a third match between the two combatants on or before September 15, 2021. If Wilder steps aside, he will have to be paid to step aside, which could amount to a payoff in the millions of dollars. Even then, Fury will still have to fight Wilder, no matter what happens in his bout with Joshua. Even more complex, if Fury and Joshua have a multi fight deal, the loser of their fight could sue in civil court for a rematch after their bout, further delaying Wilder’s plans even if he did step aside. If Tyson Fury has to foot the bill for Wilder to step aside, and he cannot afford to pay, or does not want to pay it, Anthony Joshua could back out. Fury was supposed to fight the Wilder trilogy bout on July 18, 2021, but the bout never materialized after Wilder backed out due to surgery.
Fury and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum insisted the Wilder versus Fury contractual clause expired October 2020. The new developments did not play out the way Arum and Fury had anticipated. Weinstein ruled not only on financial damages, but ruled Fury must face Wilder by September 15, 2020. Again, an extension on the rematch is allowable if both the Wilder and Fury legal teams and fight camps agree. A decision from Tyson Fury’s legal team will probably be forthcoming before the end of May 2021. Either Tyson Fury fights Deontay Wilder a third time, or he has to pay for the right to fight Joshua. The possibility is conceivable, therefore, it may cost Fury more not to fight Wilder than he can earn fighting Joshua. The difficulty is solving the financial issues and the contractual challenges has thrown the lineal heavyweight championship into chaos. Worse, even if Joshua backs out, Fury might contractually be unable to fight anybody else until his contractual war with Wilder is solved. The WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight belts are frozen.
COMMENTS
English