Looks like boxing is coming back and the world is gearing up for the trilogy between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. The promoter is looking at a November or December date.
The fight has received an offer to be staged in Australia on Christmas Day and it is being seriously considered by Fury’s promoter Bob Arum.
With the main stipulation being that the third fight must be in front of a crowd, Fury’s US-based promoter Arum previously said that Australia, China or the new Raiders NFL venue in Las Vegas were in the running.
Australian promoter Dean Lonergan to Sky Sports the details of his proposal to Bob Arum.
“The suggestion was to go to a place called Bankwest Stadium, which can hold about 45,000 people. It’s the middle of summer down here. You could have pictures beaming out across the world to probably 170 plus countries, which is what that fight would get to.”
“Drone shots of the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, the amazing Sydney Harbour. It could go into Melbourne and Marvel Stadium. They had 50,000 people there for the UFC not so long ago, or we could do it at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.”
Lonergan and Arum have worked together before when Top Rank staged Manny Pacquiao’s controversial loss to Jeff Horn in Brisbane three years ago.
A Historical Perspective
Heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson was denied access to the heavyweight world championship until December 26, 1908, Boxing Day. Johnson’s victory over the reigning world champion, Canadian Tommy Burns was at the Sydney Stadium in Australia.
The victory came after following Burns around the world for two years and taunting him in the press for a match.
“Wouldn’t it be great to do it on Boxing Day as a celebration of Jack Johnson’s victory for the heavyweight championship over Tommy Burns in 1908 in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney?” said Lonergan to Sky Sports.
“That way, it would be broadcast back into the US on Christmas night. I think that would be an amazing time from a rating perspective, and also what a great celebration to really highlight what Jack Johnson did.”
Burns agreed to fight Johnson only after promoters guaranteed him $30,000. The fight lasted fourteen rounds. It was stopped by the police in front of over 20,000 spectators, and Johnson was named the winner.
The fight came a full six years after lightweight champion Joe Gans became the first African American boxing champion.
Like Johnson, Wilder is American and a fearsome unapologetically black former heavyweight champion.
“Johnson has been so overlooked in the annals of history. Boxing fans know who he is, but I don’t know that the wider sporting audience does. I think he’s one of the all-time great boxers; of course, the first African-American to win the heavyweight championship of the world. He had to chase Burns all around the world to do it.”
