The proposed fight between heavyweight world titleholder Deontay Wilder and former world champion Tyson Fury might not be as close as Fury has portrayed, but Wilder co-manager Shelly Finkel told ESPN on Thursday, "I believe it will be done."
Fury said earlier this week via social media that the camps were close to making a deal for the fight and later said they had made a deal that took only two days to complete.
According to Finkel, who has been negotiating the bout with Fury promoter Frank Warren, the deal is not quite done just yet.
"I believe it will get done. I think we're close," he said. "I would hope next week it comes together. It's a big fight, but it's not done until all the paperwork is done. So do I think it will get done? Yes. But it's not done. But I am also not aware of any issues. The rematch clause (which is not done yet0 will get worked out."
Although Fury said he thought the fight would take place in December, the proposed date of Dec. 8 is a nonstarter because that's the same date of a major UFC pay-per-view and they would not go head to head.
Finkel said more likely the fight, targeted for a site to be determined in Las Vegas, would take place on either Nov. 10 or Nov. 17, on Showtime PPV.
Finkel manages Scottish light heavyweight prospect Willy Hutchinson, who is co-promoted by Warren, so during the course of their conversations about Hutchinson, Finkel said they began to talk about the prospect of a Wilder-Fury fight about three weeks ago. That was after Finkel's talks with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn about an undisputed world title fight between Wilder and Anthony Joshua fell apart when Joshua opted to instead to defend against Alexander Povetkin on Sept. 22.
Wilder-Fury is probably the biggest fight in the division other than a Joshua-Wilder showdown or a fight between fellow Brits Joshua and Fury.
Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs), 32, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Fury have a history together also. After Wilder knocked out Artur Szpilka cold in the ninth round to retain his title in January 2016, Fury, who watched from ringside at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, jumped into the ring and confronted Wilder nose-to-nose WWE style.
Fury (26-0, 19 KOs), 29, won three major world title belts and the lineal title by outpointing Wladimir Klitschko in a massive upset in November 2015 but he was eventually stripped of his various belts and never made a defense. He failed two drug tests for cocaine, admitted to a drinking problem and mental health issues and did not fight again until June 9, when he stopped Sefer Seferi in the fourth round of a farcical fight that was almost comical for its lack of engagement.
For a Wilder-Fury fight to happen, Fury has to win the second fight of his comeback on Aug. 18, when he is due to face former world title challenger Francesco Pianeta (35-4-1, 21 KOs) in a 10-round bout at Windsor Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on the undercard of interim featherweight titleholder Carl Frampton's defense against Luke Jackson.
Some believe Fury needs a few more fights for him to get back into top condition and to shake off the rust from the 2½-year layoff, but he wants the tile shot against Wilder.
"I think the fighter believes he can rise to the occasion," Finkel said.
Wilder has made seven title defenses and is coming off a crushing 10th-round knockout of top contender Luis "King Kong" Ortiz on March 3. Finkel said if Wilder could not get a fight with Joshua finalized, he viewed the fight with Fury as the next biggest one in the division.
"Deontay is very excited about it," Finkel said. "He remembers Fury jumping in the ring (after the Szpilka fight). There's been a bit of a history there. They've traded barbs. In this sport, in the heavyweight division, after Deontay and Joshua, this is the biggest fight. I think it will get done. The points that matter are done, but it's not done until it's signed."
On Monday, Fury made the negotiations public via social media.
"I can confirm me and Deontay Wilder are in negotiations, very close to being done," Fury said. "But I won't be looking over Francesco Pianeta. He's going to give me the right fight, and the right work to prepare me for Deontay Wilder. I've got to flatten him first, and then Wilder, let's dance. Prepare well, let's get the deal done and then I'm going to knock (Wilder) spark out too."