‘It’s binding’: Legal expert explains Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua options after judge’s Deontay Wilder ruling

A court ruling leaves the Fury-Joshua fight in doubt

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A recent ruling from a US court saying that a third fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury must take place before 15 September is binding and must be honoured, says a legal expert.

Joel Leigh, a partner at Howard Kennedy law firm, says the only way around the ruling is to come to a financial agreement with Wilder to step aside.

If the third iteration of the Wilder-Fury fight goes ahead, it would almost certainly mean the planned Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua fight cannot, the details of which have only recently been agreed.

“It’s very binding. Even Fury’s own team seem to accept that it’s binding,” Leigh told i news.

“We know that technically, under terms of contract, that fight [Fury vs Wilder 3] needed to be activated within a specific period of time and it wasn’t. Of course, the reason for that was given as Covid.

“The judge essentially concluded that the effect of all of this had been to extend the period within which the right to that fight could be activated.

“Frank Warren, to be fair to him, seems to accept that the finding of the arbitration is binding. In reality, the options are either to get Wilder to step aside by way of a financial agreement, or to go through with the Wilder fight.”

Warren has already confirmed that negotiations are underway with Wilder’s camp, but the US fighter reportedly asked for $20 million to step aside, leaving Fury to label him a “joker”.

The WBC have given the go-ahead for the third Fury-Wilder fight, saying: “We are on board with Tyson and Anthony Joshua for the undisputed title but a fight between our distinguished current and former heavyweight champions is also an outstanding event.”

Leigh went on to suggest there could be a “tactical” arrangement between the camps to settle the issue, with Joshua perhaps having most to lose if he is unable to face Fury and has to risk a fight against another opponent.