Tyson Fury has been diagnosed with coronavirus, causing a delay in his upcoming rematch with Deontay Wilder, initially scheduled for 24 July.
Speculation about Fury contracting the virus started circulating last week and was officially confirmed on Thursday by Top Rank, Fury’s promoters based in the US. Consequently, the bout has been rescheduled to 9 October while the venue, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, remains unchanged. The fight will see Fury put his world heavyweight title on the line.
Both Fury and Wilder have not fought since their last clash in February 2020. Their initial showdown took place in December 2018, resulting in a split draw where Wilder retained his world heavyweight championship. Fury dominated most of the match by landing numerous blows on Wilder, who managed to stage a comeback with a couple of significant knockdowns. In their second encounter, Fury successfully knocked down Wilder twice over seven rounds, prompting Wilder’s corner to throw in the towel.
Shelly Finkel, Wilder’s manager, commented, “This is what we sought arbitration for. [Wilder] simply wanted what was rightfully his.”
Originally, Fury had aimed to face Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia, but a legal arbitration ruled that he was obligated by contract to defend his title against Wilder instead.
