Macau could be set to host its most high-profile sporting event in decades with a report in the UK suggesting the hugely anticipated trilogy boxing match between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder could be held in Asia with Europe and America still recovering from the devastation of the coronavirus outbreak. Fury’s promoter Frank Warren said at the weekend that negotiations were ongoing for the third outing between the pair, and that interest had been expressed from a “Far East territory”, according to a report in the Daily Star . Fury inflicted a first defeat on American Wilder and took his WBC heavyweight championship at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena in February this year. Wilder immediately invoked a rematch clause in the fight contract to begin negotiations for a rematch between the two. The pair fought out a draw in a sensational first tilt back in December 2018 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Mike Tyson offered US$1 million to box former All Black Sonny Bill Williams and other ex-stars The trilogy fight was slated for Las Vegas this summer , but social distancing rules in the US meant that fight was cancelled, with promoters refusing to entertain suggestions of a behind-closed-doors match, which MMA body UFC successfully staged this month . The February fight between Fury and Wilder earned a reported US$16.5 million in gate receipts, a new Las Vegas heavyweight record. The Daily Star report said organisers were waiting for a bid for the hosting rights to be tabled. Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum has previously staged high-profile boxing cards in the South China Sea SAR, and his Top Rank Boxing promotion has organised a series of big events in Asia over the last decade. Macau, often referred to as “the Las Vegas of the East” in Western media, last hosted a high-profile boxing clash in November 2014 when Manny Pacquiao fought American Chris Algieri in the second of two title bouts in the Chinese territory. Deontay Wilder to face Tyson Fury for a third time in July “Pacman” comfortably won a judges’ decision almost exactly a year after his previous Macau blockbuster – another points victory over American Brandon Rios. That fight was dubbed a return of big-time boxing to the region with a card that also featured future heavyweight king Andy Ruiz. Six months after the Algieri win, Pacquiao would go on to lose the infamous “Fight of the Century” against Floyd Mayweather. Arum was scheduled to bring big-time boxing to another Chinese city earlier this year before the outbreak. WBO and WBC light-welterweight champion Jose Ramirez had been set to defend his titles against Viktor Postol in Hainan on February 1 before the virus shut down the country. Saudi Arabia has emerged as another viable Asian host for high-profile boxing promotions in recent years, and most recently staged the “Clash on the Dunes” between British heavyweight Anthony Joshua and American Ruiz in December. Reports suggested the controversial Gulf kingdom paid US$40 million for the rights to host that event. However, Saudi Arabia has been considerably more affected by the spread of Covid-19, with more than 72,500 cases reported so far. In recent years, Macau has sought to scale down its historical reliance on the gambling industry , and has attempted to cast itself as a regional destination for leisure and cultural activities. Macau also began hosting international basketball tournaments in recent years as well as boxing. Last year, it hosted the International Boxing Federation (IBF) convention for the first time. The IBF is one of world boxing’s four main sanctioning bodies. The Macau government’s reaction to the Covid-19 outbreak has been praised globally, with just 45 cases reported and no deaths. There have been suggestions that a “travel bubble” between Hong Kong and Macau could soon be implemented, which would allow residents of both territories to travel freely between the two. Help us understand what you are interested in so that we can improve SCMP and provide a better experience for you. We would like to invite you to take this five-minute survey on how you engage with SCMP and the news.
