In the wake of Tyson Fury’s sensational seventh-round stoppage win over Deontay Wilder, much of the post-fight chatter has revolved around a future unification fight with Anthony Joshua.
Bookmakers immediately installed Fury as the 1/2 favourite over Joshua (6/4) should they fight this year, but that price should be disregarded as informational only as the pair are unlikely to meet in 2020.
Punters who have already placed bets on the bout will have their stakes refunded if the two do not fight before the calendar year is through, and Ladbrokes only go 2/1 on Joshua being Fury’s next opponent.
Joshua’s Next Fight
Joshua’s next two fights have already been mapped out – he will almost certainly fight Kubrat Pulev in the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, likely in June, before giving Alexander Usyk his big opportunity, assuming Pulev is defeated.
That will take AJ’s activity into 2021 – meaning a third instalment of the Fury-Wilder rivalry makes much more sense, especially as the American has the option of a re-match having lost his WBC belt in Las Vegas at the weekend.
For Wilder, the other options on the table cannot compare to a chance at winning back his belt. His stock has fallen and the only way to recover and rise again is to take the re-match and learn from his mistakes.
“I’m almost sure that he will take a re-match because he’s a dynamite puncher,” said Fury of Wilder, whose camp have 30 days from the date of the fight (February 22) to take the re-match option.
“At any time he can take somebody out. With that danger, then you’re always in a fight. I’m pretty sure we’ll run it back again if he wants to.
”But if he doesn’t want to, these are my promoters and whatever they want to do, I’m happy with. Whoever’s next will get the same treatment, that’s for sure.”
Fury vs Wilder 3 Odds
At the moment, Wilder is 15/8 underdog should he fight Fury again in 2020, with the ‘Gypsy King’ now clear favourite at 4/11 and a draw – the outcome of their first fight in 2018 – now 25/1 with Paddy Power
Whatever way you look at it, the odds reaffirm the general consensus that Tyson Fury is indeed the undisputed heavyweight champion, even if Anthony Joshua holds more belts.
Meanwhile, the 31-year-old has had his odds to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year cut from 10/1 to 5/2 favourite, but expect those odds to drift back out again as Britain will be highly competitive at the Olympic Games later this year, not to mention England’s strong chances of success at Euro 2020.
