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Steve KimESPN
The third fight between heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder will not take place on Dec. 19 as planned, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN on Wednesday. The reason? Football.
“We’re moving off because there’s five conference championship games that day and night, plus two NFL games,” Arum said. “So we can’t go with the 19th; we’re looking at other dates right now because ESPN advised us, and Fox advised the PBC [which promotes Wilder].”
The fight might not be moved later, such as into the early part of 2021. Arum said it could be staged, “a little earlier in December.”
“We’re looking at the schedule — PBC, Fox, ESPN and us — to pick a date,” he said.
Top Rank is planning a card on ESPN on Dec. 12 that will feature WBC junior lightweight world titlist Miguel Berchelt against Oscar Valdez.
The plan is for Fury-Wilder III to take place at Allegiant Stadium, the home of the Las Vegas Raiders of the NFL, with limited seating and social distancing guidelines.
“It’s definitely Allegiant Stadium,” Arum said. “The Raiders are on board, the city is on board, the convention authority is on board. Everybody is on board.”
Fury and Wilder fought to a controversial split draw in their first matchup in December 2018 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
In the rematch on Feb. 22, Fury knocked out Wilder in the seventh round to win the WBC heavyweight title, with that bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.