Lineal heavyweight champion of the world Tyson Fury has shook up the boxing landscape considerably today with news that no one saw coming it must be said.
It’s hard to keep announcements this secret in boxing these days but to the credit of all involved here, they did so quite well.
Fury has confirmed that he will have his UK fights extended with current TV partner BT Sport and also confirmed an exclusive long term deal in the US with the biggest sports network in the world, ESPN.
Here’s what he had to say on the news on social media today:
The heavyweight landscape really was changed last December following Fury’s epic battle with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
I said it straight away at the time and humbly realize I was exactly right today.
Tyson Fury is now the main man in world boxing as regards leverage in negotiations for the big fights after his comeback story captured the world’s imagination last year and specifically, in doing so after his fight with Wilder when he got up in that 12th round like he did.
Someway, somehow.
It’s his story overall that’s captured the world’s attention and the fact that ESPN have backed him like they have today just proves it from a business standpoint, too.
Everyone likes a rags to riches story but comeback stories where guys come back from the brink to fight their way back to the very top are something of the rarest kind.
Stories aside though, moving forward Fury’s fights being shown on ESPN is a game changer today in the modern era of heavyweight boxing.
Lets just hope the big fights with Wilder and Joshua can still be made through either purse bids or some sort of compromise from the promoters and networks involved.
What a time for boxing. The sport is absolutely thriving at the moment.
Long may it continue.
