The heavyweight championship is tied in more knots than an Agatha Christie mystery... the Covid KO of Tyson Fury's trilogy with Deontay Wilder jeopardises the mega-millions bonanza against Anthony Joshua for the undisputed title

  • Tyson Fury tested positive for Covid weeks from his fight with Deontay Wilder 
  • As a result, the Gypsy King's showdown with Wilder has now been postponed 
  • The Las Vegas bout was slated for July 24 but may be pushed back to October
  • Now Fury's fight against Anthony Joshua will most likely be pushed back again 

The saga drags on. Longer than Bridgerton. More prolonged than Gone With The Wind. Seemingly more episodes than Friends.

Perhaps endless, now that Fury-Wilder 111 has been Covid deeper into winter than Coronation Street.

As soap operas go, this one takes the tea as well as the biscuit.

Tyson Fury's fight with Deontay Wilder is off after the Gypsy King tested positive for Covid

Tyson Fury's fight with Deontay Wilder is off after the Gypsy King tested positive for Covid

Fury was set to face the Bronze Bomber on July 24 in a highly-anticipated trilogy match up

Fury was set to face the Bronze Bomber on July 24 in a highly-anticipated trilogy match up 

World heavyweight championship boxing, the blue riband of the prize-ring, is now tied in more knots than an Agatha Christie mystery. Only in this case with no finale in sight.

The third WBC title battle between Tyson Fury, the self-described 18-wheeler truck, and Deontay Wilder, who casts himself as the runaway goods train, has been pushed further down the road until some time in October.

This collision, which somehow survived legal mediation in favour of Wilder’s rematch contract over filthy Middle East lucre, now jeopardises not only itself but also the mega-millions bonanza of a fight in far-fetched Saudi Arabia for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world between AJ and the Gypsy King.

However, Fury has tested positive for Covid and as a result the fight has been postponed

However, Fury has tested positive for Covid and as a result the fight has been postponed

Fury battered Wilder from pillar to post when they last met in Las Vegas in February 2020

Fury battered Wilder from pillar to post when they last met in Las Vegas in February 2020

Coronavirus has KO’d Fury v Wilder this July 24 in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

If Olexsandr Usyk inflicts similar chaos on Joshua in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the end of September then the best laid plans of mice and men will melt into curdled cheese.

Millions of fans will be screaming that one or other Brit is ducking the other. At least until the gravy train has run into the buffers and the only decent money left is for them to fight each other. No matter when.

But the delay in admitting that Fury – not only some of his camp followers in Vegas – has tested positive for the dreaded lurgy suggests that he did not seek the Wilder postponement. While Joshua keeps insisting that he is ready to go in Riyadh, Wembley, Cardiff... or one of their own back yards if needs be.

Fury had been in the States preparing for his upcoming fight with his large entourage

Fury had been in the States preparing for his upcoming fight with his large entourage

The Gypsy King's undisputed title fight against Anthony Joshua (R) could now be delayed further if his bout against Wilder is affected

The Gypsy King's undisputed title fight against Anthony Joshua (R) could now be delayed further if his bout against Wilder is affected

Frankly, I’m inclined to believe both of them. When push comes to punch most fighting men want to do battle for their prids more than the purse.

The problem now is that litigation, alpha-belt rankings and sponsors’ suits redesign the rules of that simple equation. And, let’s be honest, money. The resulting danger is that the twain ne’er shall meet.

The boxing pubic have been waiting for Joshua-Fury longer than for the next of Mayor Khan’s No 10 busses.

Whatever the outcome of their interim fights, December is now out of the window.

Fury, now WBC world champion, has not fought since beating Wilder in February 2020

Fury, now WBC world champion, has not fought since beating Wilder in February 2020

The Gypsy King says: ‘If we both end up beltless it doesn’t matter because it’s still a massive fight.’ His US promoter Bob Arum says: ‘Maybe we would be going to Wembley next spring, not for a second fight but the first.’

If, dare we say it, there is a first. Which sounds even less certain now that Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is suggesting that if Fury demolishes Wilder the way he did in their first rematch then he really should defend his WBC belt against our dear Dillian Whyte next.

Which, at the current rate of progress, would push Fury-Joshua back into the late 2020s. By which time, will anybody care?

Tyson Fury's trilogy with Deontay Wilder jeopardises the mega-millions bonanza against Joshua

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