Bob Arum: Fury-Wilder could happen outside the US or UK
Boxing is beginning to fight back against its battle with COVID-19 pandemic. The sport has been put on hold in such a way that it has left many fans starving for any sign of life.
Bob Arum is one promoter spearheading the comeback. One potential fight would see WBO junior lightweight champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring (21-2, 10ko) face Albert Bell (16-0, 5ko).
Then there is WBO featherweight champion Shakur “Fearless” Stevenson (13-0, 7ko). He could also be returning to face former title contender Rafael “Big Bang” Rivera (27-4-2, 18ko). The boxing community is glad to finally see the sport swinging back and on the offense, no longer on its bicycle playing defense with its hands up in the corner.
However, there remain the question of the bigger names and the more interesting fights that the fans want to see. Such match-ups would undoubtedlyy require higher purses. Furthermore, who could afford those huge purses? Without fans, it seems like it’s going to be a hard sell, coupled with an even longer wait.
FURY-WILDER AWAY FROM HOME
During an interview on a show called Ringside Reporter, Arum spoke about the possibility of the biggest heavyweight rematch happening in another country. The WBC champion Tyson “Gypsy King” Fury (30-0-1, 21ko) versus Alabama power-puncher Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (42-1-1, 41ko) is one fight being looked at, as the location and venue can account for the huge price tag.
“The fights can happen, but they probably won’t happen until the last quarter of this year and may very well not happen either in the United States or the United Kingdom, but in other parts of the world which have really tamed the virus because they took precautions early on.”
“We sat on our ass for two months letting the virus get out of hand and we are paying the price, and also in the UK they did a similar thing.”
Okay, here is where the Top Rank head honcho explained everything.
“But there are other places in the world, particularly in Asia, where they did take plans to deal with the virus and their outbreak hasn’t been anywhere near as serious as ours, and where the virus seems like it’s under control.”
“Where we believe they will open for events with spectators a lot faster than we will […] we are looking potential sites for a Fury-Wilder fight. We are very co-operatively with PBC, they know what we are doing. We will be consulting with them once the path is clear to do a Fury-Wilder fight and I’m optimistic that it will happen this year.”
WILDER STAYING THE PATH
Furthermore, the Hall of Fame promoter also killed the rumors of the former WBC champion looking to step aside.
“The Wilder people, when they saw these stories, made it known to us and MTK that Wilder wasn’t going to step aside. That he wanted to fight Fury again and gain revenge. These stories of step aside were fantasies.”
By: Garrisson Bland
