For the second time in seven months, Fury pulled out of the fight with the social media influencer turned boxer on Wednesday after being denied entry to an airplane to head from London to New York for an introductory press conference for what was set to be an Aug. 6 clash. Instead, Paul revealed early Wednesday morning that he sent Fury a 'termination notice'.
Shortly thereafter, Fury released a statement about the fight not happening.
“I’m gutted and disappointed in regards to the issues I have faced with entry into the USA,” Fury noted in a statement released Tuesday through his verified social media channels. “This is something that myself or my team could have never anticipated happening.
“This situation has been left with my lawyers as being denied entry to a country is obviously a very serious issue, and it needs to subsequently be resolved.”
“I am confident this fight will happen when this issue gets resolved, and we come to a solution,” insisted Fury. “I want to clarify that I will fight in a neutral country that both parties can enter. This can be any time, any place, any where."
Sources have told DAZN that the frontrunner to face Paul on the first Saturday of August is Hasim Rahman Jr., the son of former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman. Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix was the first to report the news.
The animosity between Paul and Fury reached a fever pitch after both guys won their respective on the card headlined by "The Problem Child" besting Tyron Woodley by split decision and Fury decisioning Paul's sparring partner Anthony Taylor on the main card opener. Before the post-fight press conference, Paul and Fury ran into one another, spewing trash talk back and forth.
Because of that, a fight was made for them to square off this past December. But Fury pulled out less than two weeks before the fight due to suffering a bronchial infection and a rib injury. So Woodley stepped up to the plate on short notice. Paul made sure the rematch didn't go to the judges, notching a sixth-round knockout.