Bellator president: We're in dialogue with boxer Tyson Fury's management
Boxer Tyson Fury’s interest in MMA is no April Fools’ joke, according to Bellator MMA President Scott Coker.
Coker said he has been “in dialogue” with Fury’s management team for “a couple of weeks” and is open to signing the boxer – despite his skepticism about what will follow.
“He thinks that MMA fighters can’t fight, and he has no idea what he’s potentially getting himself into,” Coker on Wednesday told MMAjunkie. “He believes in his mind that he’s going to go in there and knock them out.”
It’s not the first time Fury has talked tough on MMA. The boxer made headlines in 2013 by calling the sport “rubbish” and calling out UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez (13-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC). In response, UFC President Dana White issued his own challenge, inviting Fury to “come on over” and promising, “You will get smashed.”
Fury, the WBO international heavyweight champion, was at it again this week, telling WHOA TV he would “knock Cain Velasquez into next week” before taking a few swipes at ex-UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar.
“(White) already offered me a fight before, but I told him, and I’ll tell you again, when he can afford it, come and see me,” Fury said. “Until then, forget about it.”
Perhaps the boxer thinks Viacom-backed Bellator’s pockets are deep enough. Coker said he was already friendly with Fury’s management, which was involved in a TV deal with his former promotion, Strikeforce. But he spared no truth about Fury’s prospects in the cage.
“I told his manager he’s going to get taken down, he’s going to get submitted, or he’s going to get hurt,” Coker said. “And (the manager said), ‘Well, he really wants to do it.’ I said OK, and that’s when we started talking.
“Man, this guy has no idea.”
Whether Fury’s talk translates to an actual deal is now the question. Coker said he’s in the process of negotiating a deal and has no idea whether or not a contract will materialize.
“Let’s see how serious he is,” he said.
Any fight featuring Fury, however, would likely be a ratings boon for Bellator on its broadcast home of Spike TV. And given the promotion’s realigned focus on promoting events of quality over quantity, a style vs. style clash is a valuable asset.
Ask Bellator heavyweight champ Vitaly Minakov (14-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) if he’d like to fight Fury, and you can bet the answer would be yes.
Boxer Tyson Fury’s interest in MMA is no April Fools’ joke, according to Bellator MMA President Scott Coker.
Coker said he has been “in dialogue” with Fury’s management team for “a couple of weeks” and is open to signing the boxer – despite his skepticism about what will follow.
“He thinks that MMA fighters can’t fight, and he has no idea what he’s potentially getting himself into,” Coker on Wednesday told MMAjunkie. “He believes in his mind that he’s going to go in there and knock them out.”
It’s not the first time Fury has talked tough on MMA. The boxer made headlines in 2013 by calling the sport “rubbish” and calling out UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez (13-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC). In response, UFC President Dana White issued his own challenge, inviting Fury to “come on over” and promising, “You will get smashed.”
Fury, the WBO international heavyweight champion, was at it again this week, telling WHOA TV he would “knock Cain Velasquez into next week” before taking a few swipes at ex-UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar.
“(White) already offered me a fight before, but I told him, and I’ll tell you again, when he can afford it, come and see me,” Fury said. “Until then, forget about it.”
Perhaps the boxer thinks Viacom-backed Bellator’s pockets are deep enough. Coker said he was already friendly with Fury’s management, which was involved in a TV deal with his former promotion, Strikeforce. But he spared no truth about Fury’s prospects in the cage.
“I told his manager he’s going to get taken down, he’s going to get submitted, or he’s going to get hurt,” Coker said. “And (the manager said), ‘Well, he really wants to do it.’ I said OK, and that’s when we started talking.
“Man, this guy has no idea.”
Whether Fury’s talk translates to an actual deal is now the question. Coker said he’s in the process of negotiating a deal and has no idea whether or not a contract will materialize.
“Let’s see how serious he is,” he said.
Any fight featuring Fury, however, would likely be a ratings boon for Bellator on its broadcast home of Spike TV. And given the promotion’s realigned focus on promoting events of quality over quantity, a style vs. style clash is a valuable asset.
Ask Bellator heavyweight champ Vitaly Minakov (14-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) if he’d like to fight Fury, and you can bet the answer would be yes.
