Tyson Fury has penned a massive new TV deal in America with ESPN signing up to be his exclusive broadcasters in the States. Fury and his promoter, Frank Warren, are convinced that this will put them in the best position possible to make the biggest fights available, namely Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
No fight or even a date was announced at Monday’s press conference, but Fury took the opportunity to blast Wilder and call for a rematch after their draw in December.
‘Deontay Wilder, great guy, top fella, good fighting man, but to me he’s still a big useless dosser,’ Fury said of the unbeaten WBC champion.
‘They had to rob me in America to get a decision, they got a draw and messed my record up. But I can’t complain, I’m healthy well and out of trouble. ‘To go home healthy to my family is a massive thing, I’ve got five kids and a wife, I’m just happy to be sat here fit as a fiddle and healthy as a trout.’ On the possibility of a rematch with Wilder, Warren commented: ‘Tyson wants it, we all want it, it’s up to us now to sit down and try and get it over the line.’ ‘As far as I’m concerned the fight is more makeable now than ever,’ Fury added. ‘I want the biggest fights, the Joshuas the Wilders and everyone else out there too. ‘If you’re watching Deontay I’m coming for you baby and this time you can’t rip me off.’
On the ESPN deal which is reportedly worth £80m and covers five fights, Warren said: ‘Tyson Fury and Queensbury have signed a long-term deal with ESPN for them to be his exclusive broadcasters in the States. ‘This gives him a chance for him to become the guy you want to fight. We now have the biggest platform for him to be on and it puts him in a tremendous position. He’s the blue corner, not the red corner. ‘I spoke to Bob Arum last night, hopefully within the next week we’ll have the date nailed down. We think the latest is May. ‘It probably looks like being in America, but anything can happen. It’s now up to us to deliver the fights he craves.’ With Anthony Joshua fighting Jarrell Miller in June, the logical step would be a Fury vs Wilder rematch, but that is unconfirmed as yet.
Fury wants another crack at ‘The Bronze Bomber’ but knows the boxing game well enough not to be over-confident about getting what he wants. ‘I was just on the phone with Max Kellerman and he said, “There’s expectation and then there’s deliverance” and I can expect these big fights to happen. ‘My expectation is colossal, but the deliverance, I’ll tell you this time next year, and if it’s shite I’ll let you know.’
