Bob Arum: Tyson vs. Joshua Still Planned Despite Arbitrator's Ruling on Wilder Fight

AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, file

Tyson Fury's promoter, Bob Arum, has no plans to change the scheduled fight between his boxer and Anthony Joshua despite Monday's ruling from an arbitrator regarding a potential rematch with Deontay Wilder.

Arbitrator Daniel Weinstein ruled in Wilder's favor and decided Fury owes the 35-year-old a third fight even though there was a disagreement over the rematch clause on their previous two-fight deal, per Mike Coppinger of The Athletic.

Arum called the ruling a "preposterous decision" and said he wants Fury to fight Joshua in August with Wilder facing the winner in either November or December, per Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.

On Sunday, Fury tweeted the "massive announcement" that he was scheduled to fight Joshua on Aug. 14 in Saudi Arabia.

"We're not paying Wilder to step aside," Arum told Mark Kriegel of ESPN. "It's better to get rid of him and go about our business. We can make the Fury-Joshua fight for November or December."

Kriegel explained the ruling means Fury has to face Wilder by Sept. 15, although Weinstein granted the possibility of an extension if the two sides agreed.

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"Such an extension would involve a hefty step-aside fee for Wilder, likely coming from the record-breaking, $155 million site fee negotiated for the Aug. 14 fight with Joshua in Saudi Arabia," Kriegel wrote.

The back-and-forth comes after a memorable fight on Feb. 22, 2020, when Fury handled Wilder with relative ease to the point the latter's corner threw in the towel in the seventh round.

Wilder was not pleased with the decision and said in the post-fight interview, "I just wish that my corner would've let me go out on my shield. I'm a warrior. That's what I do."

He fired his longtime coach Mark Breland after the fight as well.