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Mike CoppingerESPN
Tyson Fury and Derek Chisora are in the process of finalizing a Dec. 3 trilogy fight in the United Kingdom for Fury’s WBC heavyweight title, sources told ESPN.
Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs), the WBC heavyweight champion, claimed he was retired following a sixth-round TKO victory over Dillian Whyte in April, but reversed course in August with claims he would fight Chisora, a heavyweight gatekeeper, a third time.
“The Gypsy King” then insisted in September he was in serious talks for a Dec. 3 bout with former champion Anthony Joshua that would represent one of the biggest events in all of boxing. However, discussions between Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, and Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, broke off Sept. 29, according to a source.
Joshua accepted 40% to Fury’s 60%, but the champion claimed last week that a self-imposed deadline had passed. In reality, a source said, Fury and Chisora are now in their third week of negotiations as the deal nears the finish line.
“I’ve decided to come back to boxing because I can be the first heavyweight world champion in history to have two trilogies,” Fury, ESPN’s No. 1 heavyweight and No. 6 pound-for-pound boxer, said in August. “I’d always say I’d fight Derek Chisora at the end of my career.”
After Oleksandr Usyk defeated Joshua a second time in August to retain his three heavyweight titles, it appeared they would meet next for the undisputed championship. Fury, though, expressed that he needed to fight one more time in 2022, while Usyk said he wouldn’t be ready until next year as he recovers from injuries.
A stay-busy fight for Fury makes sense ahead of a probable clash with Usyk, and Chisora fits the bill. The 38-year-old ended a three-fight losing streak with a split decision victory over Kubrat Pulev in July and owns a recognizable name in the U.K. Still, it’s rare for two boxers to fight a third time when the first two bouts weren’t remotely competitive.
Fury outpointed Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs) in 2011 and stopped him in Round 10 of their 2014 rematch.
A matchup with Chisora is also a major letdown after the Joshua bout was teased for weeks as negotiations played out through the media. But it should be a prelude to a Fury-Usyk showdown next year.