If Deontay Wilder wants Tyson Fury to step aside from their contracted 2020 rematch so he can first fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship, the "Gypsy King" said it's going to cost him.
Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs), who battled Fury to a disputed daw last December, recently told 78 Sports TV he doesn't believe Fury actually wants a second fight. The reigning WBC champion also said Fury "would want me" to face the winner of the Dec. 7 Andy Ruiz Jr.-Anthony Joshua rematch in a fight for all four recognized heavyweight titles.
"Deontay 'Bronze Bollocks' Wilder is a dosser and he knows he is," Fury told CBS Sports on Thursday. "I see all that stuff about how he wants me to step aside. Step aside to what? He's terrified of the Gypsy King. He couldn't beat the Gypsy King when I had three years out of the ring on alcohol and drugs. How the f--- is he going to beat the Gypsy King now that I've been training for two years. Come on!
"[Stepping aside] depends how much they want to pay me because I ain't stepping aside. That's not quite how it works and it's very costly work."
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Fury (28-0-1) returns on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas against Otto Wallin (20-0, 13 KOs) in the second of two tuneup fights ahead of a Wilder rematch that is expected to air as a two-network pay-per-view on Feb. 22. Wilder, 33, must also first get by Luis Ortiz (31-1, 26 KOs) in a separate rematch that's expected for PPV in November but has yet to see a date, network or venue formally announced.
Asked why both he and Wilder would plan a rematch so far in advance despite interim bouts with potential to complicate or ruin their best-laid plans, the 31-year-old Fury was quick to deflect.
"You have to speak to [co-promoter] Bob Arum about all of that," Fury said. "I told you, I only know about smashing. I don't know about business, I never went to school. I've never got law degrees and I've never got business economic degrees. I've got nothing. The only thing I know how to do is f--- motherf---ers up."
Arum, when reached about Wilder's step-aside comments, told World Boxing News on Thursday it isn't happening.
"Obviously, there's a contract and I don't know [if he thinks that's possible]. Wilder says a lot of things that he really doesn't mean just for effect. But that fight is already in the books."
Fury is recognized by many as the division's lineal champion thanks to his 2015 upset of Wladimir Klitschko before a self-imposed exile due to mental health and substance-abuse issues. His comeback story captured much of the boxing world in 2018 after shedding nearly 100 pounds to win a pair of comeback fights before the draw against Wilder, which most observers felt he had won.
Pressed about who wins the Ruiz-Joshua rematch, Fury became defiant and said, "No interest at all. Don't care, won't even watch it. [On] Dec. 7, I'll be busy. I've got no interest in watching that fight because I've got no interest in those motherf---ers. Not one bit." He had even less interest worrying about whether an Ortiz upset of Wilder might spoil their 2020 rematch, saying, "I don't know. I don't know, man. Why are you asking me all these questions? I don't know, man."
Asked about Wilder's comments saying Fury's dramatic rise from the canvas during the 12th round after suffering a second knockdown was more of an act than an act of God, Fury had enough. He went on to intercept any mention of the WBC champion by yelling, "F--- Deontay Wilder!"
"I don't really care what Wilder [said]. I'm not interested in what Wilder says or any of these boxing bums say," Fury said. "I really ain't that interested. It's sticks and stones. They can f------ me, they can hate me or they can want to date me. But at the end of the day, they all want to be me."
Fury, who hours before named Wilder and former undisputed cruiserweight champion Alexander Usyk as his toughest potential challenges at heavyweight during an interview with ESPN, made it clear he would rather fight any of them than answer anymore questions. He later ended the phone interview abruptly by giving praise to God and hanging up.
"I don't think much about [Usyk], to be honest. He never enters the brain waves. Never. He's not someone I'd rather think about, to be honest," Fury said. "I could probably beat Usyk with one arm tied behind my back and I'll let you pick which one you want me to fight with, left or right. Either way it would be goodnight.
"I don't know what to talk about, to be fair. The boxing scene, I'm quite sick of, actually. I'm quite sick of boxing. Andy Ruiz, Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, Alexander Usyk, etc. F--- me, the list goes on and on and on. And there's going to be another 10 coming out of the woodwork anytime soon. There is so many but what does it really matter? They are all motherf---ers anyway and they are all going to get f---ed up."
