Ink to paper: Fury, Wilder sign for trilogy fight

  • ESPN Staff Writer
  • Previously a college football writer for The Dallas Morning News
  • University of North Texas graduate

LAS VEGAS — It’s a done deal, as WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have both signed their contracts for the third bout in their heavyweight rivalry.

Fury said during the Josh Taylor-Jose Ramirez telecast on ESPN that he had signed his contract. Wilder has also finalized his side of the deal, according to boxing manager Shelly Finkel.

The fight will be on July 24, sources told ESPN. T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will host the bout, Top Rank’s Bob Arum told ESPN’s Kel Dansby.

Fury will receive 60% of the purse split, sources told ESPN’s Mark Kriegel, while Wilder will get the remaining 40%.

The contracts come six days after an independent arbitrator ruled that Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) was legally obligated for a third fight with Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs).

The arbitrator’s ruling derailed negotiations between Fury and Anthony Joshua for an undisputed title fight in Saudi Arabia this summer. Both sides were on the verge of finalizing their deal before Monday’s arbitration.

Discussions were limited regarding a potential “step-aside” fee to Wilder to make Fury-Joshua possible.

Prior to the first fight in 2018 that ended in a draw, Wilder had knocked out all his previous opponents. Fury got off the canvas in the 12th round to escape his first defeat. In the 2020 rematch, Fury battered Wilder for a seventh-round TKO victory. Neither fighter has been in the ring since that bout.

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