DEONTAY WILDER remains a serious threat to the Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury undisputed showdown this summer.
Saudi Arabia have made a concrete offer to host the all-English showdown for AJ’s WBA, IBF and WBO belts and the Gypsy King’s iconic WBC strap.
And 32-year-old Fury claims he is ‘one million per cent sure’ the all-English bout will be made and has even started his training camp in Las Vegas, as SunSport revealed last week.
However, the heavy-handed American Fury blasted away in February insists he is still owed a rematch and ex-world champ David Haye fears he could still blow a whole in the plans.
The former cruiser and heavyweight king knows Wilder from sparring sessions and the bleeding business inside out.
The Hayemaker told SunSport: “I absolutely believe both fighters want the fight to happen and I am sure there are plenty of offers out there.
“But I have never heard of a long-running world champion – like Deontay Wilder was – not having a rematch clause in place in case he loses.
“Deontay himself has been very quiet, the team around him have not given much away but I would be very surprised if does not have some sort of impact in the making of this fight or gets something out of it not being him Fury is facing next.”
Fury demolished the Alabama powerhouse in magnificent fashion in February 2020, ending his five-year and ten-defence reign.
Wilder’s behaviour in the aftermath has been woeful, blaming and then sacking much-loved assistant trainer Mark Breland and accusing Fury of cheating.
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The fall from grace has been so heavy that fans and Fury himself have even raised concerns about his mental health.
But, as erratic as Wilder has been, his 76-year-old manager Shelly Finkel is a veteran of Mike Tyson’s wildest and most litigious days and Haye doubts he would have overseen anything less than a water-tight contract.
The 40-year-old manager of Derek Chisora said: “The pandemic obviously made the third fight very difficult to make but I remember thinking, when the news broke that the contract for it had expired, it sounded strange.
“I have boxed, promoted and now managed at the top level and I don’t think I have ever come across an expiration date for a rematch.
“I hope I am wrong, I hope the June or July date that is being talked about can be achieved.
“But I do think Deontay Wilder, or the management or promoters around him, will have a say or something to gain from it happening.”
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