Fury v Wilder III - Likely not going to happen in 2020...

Rates of covid are going up in the UK and things are even worse in the US, who knows what will happen now.

 

The contract is key, because if there's not enough money to have that fight without a crowd, would there really be enough money in Fury v AJ to pay Wilder a step aside? Is there a force majeure clause which could allow Team Fury to nullify the rematch clause or at least fight first?

I could see it going to court, simply because there's so much that's unprecedented. Does Wilder's clause override Fury's right to make a living?

The other optiom is for a deal to be struck for Wilder to be guaranteed to face the winner of a two or three fight series between Fury and Joshua, but that could be well into 2021 and he's not getting any younger. It would also run the champion into mandatory defence issues and possible loss of belts.

Very difficult one to unscramble, which could mean work for m'learned friends.

 

they might bang in U.K with english ref and in some studio like WBSS final had been done.
Broadcast event and all is done.

 

Let someone else knock out Wilder. Fury vs Joshua is what the fans need.

 

I can see wilder being a little ***** and threatening to take Fury to court if Tyson fights someone else in the meanwhile as wilder is petty and pathetic like that

 

You make a breach of contract sound like no big deal. None of us know the specific terms of the contract, but knowing how shrewd Haymon and Finkel are Fury would likely have to pay Wilder millions of dollars If he walks away from his obligation with Wilder and Fury likely would get stripped of his title, since the WBC belt was definitely included in their contract.

This is why Arum and Fury were offering Wilder step aside money, so they could get Fury another fight without breaching the contract.

Do you remember when Rahman beat Lennox? Lennox had a rematch clause and Rahman foolishly tried to ignore it and fight other people and Lennox sued the pants of Rahman and forced the rematch. Not to mention Rahman had to pay Lennox’s expenses that ended up being hundreds of thousands in attorney fees and court cost, which came out of Rahman’s portion of the purse in the rematch.

 

Wilder don’t want it. He wants to go back to KO gate keepers and B level fighters.

 

Fury Wilder isn't happening this year

It will be announced soon enough. Las Vegas have them reserved for when they re-open and they can have crowds again.

Both will have step-in fights. Fury might get one at the end of the year. Wilder won't fight this year.

 

Unfortunately if Wilder sues Fury the judge is only going to take into consideration the contract between the two. The possible Fury-Joshua fight or public opinion won’t factor into the judges decision at all. Also, if they sue Fury they’ll likely ask the judge to order that Fury can’t fight any other heavyweight until after he fights Wilder for a period of time (maybe a year or two), which is a judgment the WBC will honor.

Here is a portion of the judgement against Rahman by the Judge, which forced Rahman to fight Lennox. If Rahman could’ve found a way to milk those titles he would’ve never faced Lennox again, but the Judge pretty much froze his career until he met his contractual obligations to Lennox.

“On June 21, 2001, following closing arguments by the parties, in open court, I enjoined Rahman from engaging in any other heavyweight bout for the next 18 *228 months unless and until he honors his contractual obligation to fight a rematch with Lewis. Although I outlined the reasons for the injunction, I said that an opinion would follow on Lewis' claim for equitable relief and that of CKP.”
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp2/147/225/2409339/

 

You've made several good points like those above and also Haymon's likely sway with the WBC. The only factor I think may undermine them is how a judge see's the coronavirus lockdown as potentially changing the landscape and maybe making the rematch clause difficult to enforce.

Say for example that Fury offers to fight Wilder in an empty arena with both fighters splitting the PPV take according to the percentages agreed in their contract. If there's a minimum revenue guarantee it's unlikely they can match it with no gate so Wilder could decline until crowds return, but could they argue that making that offer should be seen as satisfying teh rematch clause and Fury should then be free to pursue his career?

All speculation of course because we don't know the contract. Safe bet it's a good one and Haymon's lawyers are likely as good as money can buy also.

 

Most event contracts have an “ act of god “ clause where it can be breached if something happens, the ongoing pandemic is one of the situations where it can apply.

 

Definitely. If Fury makes Wilder a reasonable offer with consideration to the reduced current market value of the fight due to the Coronavirus pandemic and Wilder turns it down Wilder wouldn’t have a leg to stand on in court as long as the judge deems Fury’s offer reasonable.

Arum despite his age is still sharp as a tack, so he definitely included stipulations that would allow him the power to amend the guarantees should something outside of his control such as the current pamdemic were to happen and a termination clause of the contract altogether if certain conditions are met.

 

Wouldn't bother me if he did.