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Frank Warren refutes suggestions of cashing out on Tyson Fury’s reputation

Sport360 staff

23:01 02/08/2018

Frank Warren has dismissed suggestions he is looking to cash out on Tyson Fury‘s reputation by agreeing terms for him to fight WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.

The second opponent of the former unified champion’s comeback is the little-known German Francesco Pianeta, who will travel to Belfast for their fight at Windsor Park on August 18.

Fury revealed earlier this week that negotiations have begun for him to challenge American Wilder in the US before the end of the year, but for all of the Briton’s pedigree such a step up would represent a significant risk.

When his comeback began promoter Warren spoke of the need for the 29-year-old, before challenging one of the division’s leading fighters, to have several fights in quick succession to overcome the effects of almost three years out of the ring.

Pursuing Wilder so soon could be perceived as a change in strategy to something more short-term, but asked if that represented cashing out on a fighter who divided opinion when defeating Sefer Seferi on his return, Warren responded: “Deontay Wilder’s doing that. I’m not doing that.

Tyson Fury is on a comeback trail.

“I could sit around and give him another couple of fights, I’m not doing that at all. From my perspective, if he feels he’s ready to go for it – we’ll see what he looks like, he may still look a bit rusty in Ireland but the bottom line is he’s in the ring.

“He’ll be coming out of that fight, whatever happens (as long as) he wins the fight, in a better position to go and challenge for the titles he never lost in the ring.

“(If we wait) Deontay Wilder’s punch isn’t going to go away in a couple of fights – he can punch. The fact of the matter is he’s in there, he fancies it, physically he’s in a good position, and most importantly with Tyson, mentally he’s in a good position, and that’s the main thing – mentally he’s there.”

Warren also revealed that concerns Wilder could lose before fighting Fury are contributing to their drive to make sure Fury next challenges him in what would ultimately be a glamorous match-up.

“My worry with all these heavyweight champions, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, is they’ll get beat,” he said. “Both of them could get beat. It’s not difficult to hit Anthony Joshua – hit him on the chin, he can go, we’ve seen it happen.

“Deontay Wilder’s come from behind in fights, we know he’s a big puncher, but he’s been behind and shown he can be beaten on points.

“Deontay’s coming over (to Belfast) for the fight.

“Tyson’s in good nick, he’s shifted another bit of weight. Get this fight out of the way and he’ll be ready to go. It’s not like he’s got lots of miles on the clock; he’s still a young man.”

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