Bob Arum: Ignore Deontay, Wilder vs Fury 2 is signed for February

Have you heard Deontay Wilder throwing a verbal curveball, casting some doubt that his proposed Feb. 2020 rematch against Tyson Fury will go down?

“In my opinion, I don’t feel Fury wants to fight me again anyway,” Wilder told 78SportsTV two days ago. “If this opportunity comes about, I think Fury will pass up his opportunity, he would want me to fight for the unification, and then come back and fight him.”

So, what he’s saying is, forget that Feb. 22 penciled-in date — I, Deontay Wilder, would rather junk that, and instead fight the winner of the Dec. 7 Saudi Arabia “Throwin’ Hands in the Sands” scrap putting Anthony Joshua in again versus Andy Ruiz Jr.

Oh-kay — it seemed like that February date was firming up nicely, with Fury staying busy.

He’ll glove up again on Sept. 14 versus Otto Wallin. And if the Swede can’t upset the “Gypsy King,” and Wilder’s November faceoff against Luiz Ortiz plays out in the Alabaman’s favor, then a February slot to see if Wilder could finish Fury this time would be a nice first quarter offering.

Er, um, maybe not.

What does Fury’s promoter, Bob Arum, have to say about that Wilder verbal curveball?

”Fuhgeddaboutit,” Arum told me. “It’s Wilder being Wilder. The fight is signed, it’s gonna happen. Don’t pay any attention to Wilder, he just wants his name out there. You can’t listen to these guys. I mean, maybe if there isn’t a signed contract, maybe then someone saying something means something. [But] Feb. 22 is the working date, correct.”