FORMER WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT champion Tyson Fury has signed a co-promotional deal with Bob Arum’s Top Rank and will fight at least twice a year in America live on ESPN.
Fury, 27-0-1 with 19KOs, will continue to be promoted by Frank Warren on this side of the pond, and his bouts will continue to be broadcast on BT Sport in the UK and Ireland.
The 30-year-old’s first fight under the Top Rank banner is expected to be announced “soon” per today’s Top Rank press release.
“I’m delighted that Frank [Warren] and Queensberry Promotions have teamed up with Top Rank to promote my fights in America,” Fury said.
“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.”
Added Frank Warren: “This is a great move for Tyson Fury and a great move for Queensberry Promotions. By partnering up with ESPN and Top Rank in America, we’re giving our boxers, including Tyson, the opportunity to perform on the biggest and most powerful platforms on both sides of the Atlantic and become truly global stars.”
Arum, who co-founded Top Rank in 1973, said of the acquisition of Fury:
Top Rank is very excited to enter into the promotional arrangement along with Queensberry Promotions for the lineal heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury. He is a generational heavyweight talent at the peak of his powers.
Fury, 30, twice peeled himself from the canvas to protect his unbeaten record in what transpired to be a thrilling heavyweight showdown with Wilder on 1 December.
The big Brit, in the third bout of his comeback following a drugs ban and a battle with depression, was still deemed unfortunate not to get the nod in what was ultimately scored a split-decision draw.
His deal with Top Rank and ESPN could throw a rematch with Wilder into doubt: ‘The Bronze Bomber’ fights on rival network Showtime and Arum is an outspoken critic of Wilder’s co-promoter Al Haymon, previously labelling him “a cancer” on the sport of boxing.
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