Lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury signed a multi-year co-promotional agreement with Top Rank and ESPN on February 21, 2019, a move that significantly complicates negotiations for a rematch with Deontay Wilder.
The deal guarantees the British star at least two fights per year in the United States, to be co-promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. However, the agreement introduces a broadcast “cold war,” as Wilder remains affiliated with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) and Showtime.
The signing comes at a delicate time for the heavyweight division, which has struggled to finalize major bouts between its primary stars. Despite a successful first meeting in December 2018 that drew approximately 325,000 pay-per-view buys on Showtime, the immediate future of the rematch is now uncertain.
Both Wilder and his co-manager, Shelly Finkel, had been operating under the assumption that a second fight would take place in May or June on the Showtime platform.
The new partnership means any future bout must reconcile the competing interests of ESPN and Showtime. While Tyson Fury remains a central figure in global heavyweight planning, this network divide has historically prevented the biggest matchups from reaching the ring.
Promoters and networks are often reluctant to let their top assets compete on rival platforms, fearing a loss of revenue and control over the broadcast rights.
Network hurdles for the Deontay Wilder rematch
The main obstacle to the Wilder-Fury sequel is the secondary battle between Top Rank/ESPN and PBC/Showtime. Before Fury’s announcement, both sides appeared to be closing in on a deal, leading to the postponement of a scheduled WBC purse bid.
Now that Fury is tied to ESPN, the path to a WBC heavyweight title bout requires a rare level of corporate cooperation. Such joint ventures are infrequent but have occurred in the past.
Specifically, the 2015 “Fight of the Century” between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao and the 2017 clash between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko were both HBO/Showtime joint ventures. Additionally, the 2017 crossover event between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor saw Showtime work alongside the UFC.
Bob Arum has also successfully navigated co-promotional deals with Don King and other rivals since the 1970s, offering a sliver of hope for the event.
If private negotiations fail, a purse bid remains the most direct mechanism to finalize the fight, though the specific date remains up in the air. The bid was originally set for early February and delayed until February 12 before being pushed back again.
Without a compromise, the division risks another stalemate similar to the failed attempts to secure Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder in 2017 and 2018.
Billy Joe Saunders targets vacant WBO super middleweight title
In another major shift, Billy Joe Saunders has officially moved up in weight to challenge for the vacant WBO super middleweight title. The World Boxing Organization (WBO) recently updated its rankings, moving former champion Gilberto Ramirez to the light heavyweight division. Consequently, the WBO ordered No.
2 ranked Saunders to face Shefat Isufi for the vacant 168-pound belt. The bout is scheduled for April 13 at the SSE Arena in Wembley.
The move marks a departure from Saunders’ mandatory position at middleweight, where he was slated to face Demetrius Andrade. Saunders and promoter Frank Warren have long avoided a deal with Andrade’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, due to their deep-seated promotional rivalry. Since Andrade competes on the DAZN platform, a fight would have required Warren to negotiate terms with his primary competitor, which was deemed unlikely.
Stepping up to super middleweight allows Saunders to bypass the middleweight logjam created by exclusive contracts. Currently, major champions like Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs are signed to multi-fight deals with DAZN. By targeting the WBO title at 168 pounds, Saunders secures a world title opportunity without being forced into the DAZN ecosystem.
This move provides a more straightforward path for his career under the Queensberry banner.
Heavyweight division shifts focus to New York and London
While the Fury situation unfolds, the rest of the heavyweight landscape continues to move forward with concrete dates. Anthony Joshua is set to make his United States debut against Jarrell Miller on June 1 at Madison Square Garden.
This fight is a pivotal moment for Joshua as he seeks to establish his brand in the American market. The inclusion of Jarrell Miller in this high-profile clash highlights the growing importance of the “Big Three” era of heavyweights.
Despite the commercial success of the division, fans remain frustrated by the political maneuvering that prevents the top names from meeting. The 2019 landscape is defined by these broadcast affiliations, where the interests of the promoters often supersede the desires of the boxing public. Any delay in the Wilder-Fury rematch will be seen as a setback for a sport still fighting for mainstream prominence.
Key upcoming bouts and championship previews
Beyond the heavyweight and super middleweight title shifts, several notable matchups have been finalized or previewed in the latest industry reports. High-stakes rivalries in the United Kingdom and championship unifications in the women’s division are set to dominate the coming months. These fights keep the sport’s momentum alive while the major stars resolve their promotional disputes.
- Anthony Joshua vs. Jarrell Miller: Set for June 1 at Madison Square Garden.
- Billy Joe Saunders vs. Shefat Isufi: Scheduled for April 13 at SSE Arena, Wembley.
- James DeGale vs. Chris Eubank Jr: A high-profile British rivalry previewed as a career-defining crossroads.
- Claressa Shields vs. Christina Hammer: Finalized undisputed championship unification.
- Anthony Dirrell vs. Avni Yildirim: A preview of the upcoming super middleweight encounter.
The boxing world continues to grapple with the realities of exclusive network deals. Whether it is a potential clash between Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney or a heavyweight unification, the barrier remains the same.
If Wilder and Fury cannot find common ground between ESPN and Showtime within the next few months, it will remind the public of the corporate hurdles that still hinder the sport’s growth.
