Boxing Tyson Fury shocks the world by signing with Top Rank Boxing. Is the Deontay Wilder rematch at risk? By signing with ESPN, Tyson Fury has agreed to be the true face of Top Rank’s boxing scene. by Daniel Yanofsky February 19, 2019 It wasn’t that long ago (last week actually) that rumors of an agreement were made between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder for a rematch from their December 1st draw. Wilder wanted it, and we thought Fury did as well. Now, it appears the plans will be thrown out for the moment, as Fury has signed an exclusive deal with ESPN and Top Rank Boxing. Fury (27-0-1) is expected to have two fights a year in the U.S. under the deal, as he is looking to expand his brand in the American market. This was a shock to many, including promotor Frank Warren, who has worked with Fury for years. “I’m delighted that Frank and Queensberry Promotions have teamed up with Top Rank to promote my fights in America,” Fury stated in a press release. “With ESPN and BT Sport behind me, the biggest sports platforms in the world are now linked up with the best heavyweight in the world!” The “Gypsy King” is known as the Lineal Heavyweight Champion, having won the title in 2015 with a win over Wladimir Klitschko. He ended up relinquishing several titles due to health and substance abuse issues. Returning for two fights in 2018, he faced Wilder in a third bout, while being in superb shape. After a back-and-forth affair against Fury in which he avoided two knockout finishes, the judges scored the fight a draw. The fight was a Premier Boxing Champion-sponsored event, with Showtime in control of broadcasting rights. With ESPN comes ESPN+, the new streaming home of combat sports. Wilder (40-0-1), currently a free agent, has not signed anywhere, making this entire ordeal extremely interesting. The “Bronze Bomber” went from attempting to negotiate a fight with Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua to trying to fight Fury, to potentially none of that. Promotors are hard to negotiate with as is, but add other networks into the mix and there are more problems than you could possibly imagine. A rematch can still happen, but now the negotiations will be harder, especially with new ways to watch and pay for these type of fights nowadays. Expect more chaos to unfold down the line. Post Views: 1,200 The following two tabs change content below.BioLatest Posts Daniel Yanofsky Baseball Editor, Misc. Sports Editor. Covers all things combat sports (MMA, Pro Wrestling and Boxing). When he's not writing, Daniel hosts a podcast, The Main Event. Latest posts by Daniel Yanofsky (see all) Mets hire Luis Rojas to replace Carlos Beltran as manager - January 23, 2020 An Outsider’s 2020 Hall of Fame Ballot - January 21, 2020 A Wild Yo Sighting: Yoenis Cespedes participates in running, fielding and hitting drills - January 21, 2020 Following Conor McGregor’s win at UFC 246, is “The King” truly back? - January 20, 2020 Related TopicsBoxingDeontay WilderESPNTop RankTop Rank BoxingTyson Fury 5 Comments You must be logged in to post a comment Login Leave a Reply Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment. Newsletter Subscription Can't Miss Posts! Women in Sports: NHL Network Host, Jackie Redmond by Nicholas Durst | posted on March 4, 2019 XFL Co-Owner Dany Garcia Talks Business, Serving Others at espnW Women + Sports Summit by Candace Cordelia | posted on October 23, 2020 Women in Sports Interview Series: It’s a sure bet with Philadelphia native, Erin Kate Dolan (VIDEO) by Denise Gonzalez | posted on March 17, 2020 From Paramus High School to CBS Sports, Spero Dedes is making waves in sports broadcasting by Sunil Sunder Raj | posted on October 27, 2020 No Shame in Their Game – Female Mixed Martial Artists Use Onlyfans to Make Money by Brandon Berrios | posted on December 4, 2020 More in Boxing The Mockery of A Sport: Paul vs. Askren Jake Paul and Ben Askren are set to fight tonight, and as a fan... Poirier McGregor Trilogy Is a Hot Ticket but is the Donation Beef a Show? Before UFC 257, Conor McGregor predicted that he would win the fight, but more... The Paul Brothers are Bad for Combat Sports Obviously this is just my opinion, but with Jake Paul and Logan Paul getting... Floyd Mayweather Set to Square Up Against Logan Paul The richest athlete in the world is about to add to his north of... Ticket information for Anthony Joshua’s US debut v. Jarrell Miller inside MSG Jarrell Miller: Anthony Joshua’s worst nightmare? Can “Big Baby’s” heart result in championship glory?