Tyson Fury reaffirms rematch date with Wilder is February 22nd

Heavyweight Contender Tyson Fury has been on a media blitz over the past few days promoting his upcoming Top Rank boxing main event in Las Vegas in September to be televised by ESPN. And Friday night, during that media tour, Fury once again maintained there is a signed deal for his rematch with WBC Heavyweight Champion, Deontay Wilder for February.

Appearing on the late night TV talk show “Now or Never,” Fury told the hosts that the contract is signed and that if he is victorious over unbeaten, but unheralded, Swedish contender Otto Wallin on September 14th and Wilder defeats Luis Ortiz in their rematch in November, then they will be meeting February 22nd in Las Vegas:

February 22 ?@Tyson_Fury says a rematch with Deontay Wilder is set as long as they both win their next fight. https://t.co/H56QjcFPZz

— ESPN (@espn) August 17, 2019

Fury had also made similar comments in early July about the February rematch date of the controversial draw that he fought with Wilder in December of 2018 in Los Angeles.

Many observers and media thought Fury had done enough to earn a 12-round decision and upset win to hand Wilder his first professional loss. However, Wilder scored a dramatic 12th round knockdown and won that round 10 – 8 on the scoring system on all three judges cards. When he did, Wilder earned one judge’s vote for victory and the third and deciding judge called the fight a draw.

Fury walked away from contract negotiations with PBC for the potential Wilder rematch earlier this year and signed with Bob Arum and Top Rank Boxing for a series of fights. Arum, had hoped to lure Wilder, who was a brief free agent, in a rematch with Fury potentially on ESPN.

Instead, Wilder stayed with Premier Boxing Champions and knocked out number one Contender Dominic Breazeale in the first round in May.

It’s important to note that nothing has been officially announced from Premier Boxing Champions, who re-signed and promotes Wilder or the WBC about a potential Wilder title defense should he defeat Ortiz.

Also, common sense and understanding of the timeline is: that even though Fury is fighting in September, if Wilder does not fight until two months later, then it’s hard to believe he would turn right around and fight 90 days later in the huge rematch with Fury.

Wilder has typically taken at least five months or more in between fights for the last 4 years.

And that could mean the Fury rematch is pushed to April or May.