Deontay Wilder accuses Tyson Fury of lying about positive Covid test

Heavyweight Deontay Wilder has accused rival Tyson Fury of lying about testing positive for Covid to get out of their trilogy fight.

The final instalment of the fighters’ trilogy was originally set for 24 July but it was moved to 9 October due to Fury’s positive result. The Briton won the last fight, taking the WBC belt in February 2020, after the first bout was ruled a split draw in December 2018.

Wilder believes Fury is running away from the third fight, suggesting that is why his opponent said he had caught the virus.

“I’m just tired of the lies. That’s all it is, lies. That’s what I believe. And a lot of other people do, too – the whole world believes it’s nothing but lies. And it really sickens me to hear that because so many people have died of Covid,” he told 78SportsTV.

“People I know have had family members to die of it. To hear others using this as an excuse to get out of something is just horrible, man.

“May they burn in hell for that. Especially for something like this. Because the dude said he had Covid, then the next minute you see him in so many different places. It’s just ridiculous. He’s been trying to run away from me since July of last year. He’s paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to avoid me.

“They came up with so many excuses to try to avoid me. They contradict themselves so many different times and it’s just ridiculous at this point. You need to put up or shut up.”

If the Briton does pull out of the fight again, Wilder has said he expects to be paid in full and for Fury to hand over the WBC belt.

The fight was not on Fury’s priority list as he had lined up a bout with compatriot Anthony Joshua, but a court ruled that the ‘Gypsy King’ had to fulfil his trilogy obligations with Wilder.