Tyson Fury returns to the ring on Friday, but fans hoping to watch the former heavyweight world champion live on television will be disappointed. The bout against Polish veteran Mariusz Wach will not be broadcast on TV or streaming platforms.
Fight details and start time
The contest takes place in Pattaya, Thailand, with a crowd of just 1,500 people. The UK start time has been confirmed as 5pm BST. Instead of a live broadcast, the fight is expected to feature in the third series of the Netflix documentary At Home with the Furys, meaning fans will have to wait until the documentary's release to see the footage.
Why Thailand?
Fury has based much of his training camp in Thailand, making Pattaya a natural location. He has pledged to donate profits from ticket sales to support homeless and disadvantaged children in the area. "It's a beautiful thing I'm able to do here, giving back to a great cause," Fury said. He also defended the low-profile setting: "Which other world champion on my level would do a performance in front of 1,500 in Pattaya?" Tickets are reportedly priced at around £220 and have not yet sold out.
The opponent
Fury faces 46-year-old Mariusz Wach, a former world title challenger with a record of 39 wins and 13 losses. Wach challenged Wladimir Klitschko in 2012 and has fought Alexander Povetkin, Dillian Whyte, Jarrell Miller and Hughie Fury. His last fight was a points loss to Viktor Vykhryst in March. Fury's most recent outing was a unanimous decision win over Arslanbek Makhmudov.
What next?
A potential super-fight with Anthony Joshua appears closer than ever. Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed an agreement had been reached for Fury and Joshua to meet. Joshua fights Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. If both win, attention will turn to finalising one of the biggest fights in British boxing. Discussions continue over the venue and timing, with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh reportedly favouring a US primetime slot, which would mean an early-hours start for UK viewers.
