Tyson Fury’s rematch of his epic world heavyweight title draw with Deontay Wilder is in serious doubt as he banks $15million (£11.9m) for his WWE debut this month, with the prospect of even more for a second wrestling extravaganza in the New Year.

Fury-Wilder II is scheduled for Las Vegas on February 22 but now the worry as to whether the Gypsy King’s gruesomely gashed eye will heal in time is not the only huge question mark against that happening.

When asked if his sudden switch to wrestling could impact the Wilder fight Fury replied: ‘There’s a hell of a chance of that.’

Tyson Fury will take on Braun Strowman in his WWE debut in Saudi Arabia on October 31

Those 15 million reasons for putting boxing’s rematch of the century at risk could rise by another $20m or more if he takes a decent grip on his first wrestling match, against the giant Braun Strowman on October 31.

Wrestling legend Broch Lesnar and former UFC champion Cain Velasquez meet on the same Crown Jewel card in Riyadh. Already there is talk of those two fights being a prelude to Fury meeting the winner next – and he has begun calling out Velasquez.

‘Who knows what lies beneath?’ says Fury. ‘Maybe Velasquez, maybe Lesnar.’

If so, his combined purses from the two WWE fights would come close to the $50million he stands to accumulate from what Sportsmail now understand to be not one but two contracted rematches to complete a classic trilogy with Wilder – February in Vegas and Wembley Stadium next summer.

Wilder, who himself still has to come through his other rematch against Luis Ortiz unscathed on November 23, will not be surprised if Fury pulls out of their engagement. The second fight was delayed from this summer when Fury suddenly signed an $80m (£63m) US television contract with ESPN which included two warm-up fights in America.

Now Wilder, the WBC world champion who insists he was robbed of KO victory by Fury being ‘given the benefit of a long count’ last December, says of that brutal last round knock- down: ‘Tyson was unconscious and has no memory of going down or getting up. That’s heavy, man, and I know his family don’t want him to risk fighting me again.’

If the return does fall by the wayside, the Bronze Bomber will seek to meet the winner of Anthony Joshua’s December rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr, also in Riyadh, to find the first undisputed world heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis.

Ruiz pulled off the upset of the century when he ripped all the other belts from Joshua in New York and Wilder expects him to repeat that shock knockout, saying: ‘I respect AJ but Andy’s got his number.’

Fury (left) and Wilder drew in their initial classic fight in 2018 and are scheduled to meet again

A suspicion that Ruiz may have ‘lost focus’ during his hectic celebration of becoming Mexico’s first world heavyweight champion has been dispelled by the publication of training camp pictures showing him dramatically trimmed down from ‘this fat boy who loves Snickers,’ along with him saying: ‘I’m a lot slimmer, even faster and punching with even more power.’

Meanwhile, other indicators show Fury veering towards pro wrestling. At the media launch for the Strowman fight he revealed how seriously he is taking the switch by revealing: ‘I’ve been training at the WWE facility in Orlando.

‘I was supposed to be resting while the eye mended but I’m excited about 385lbs of Braun coming at me. Yeah, me against Wilder is the biggest fight in boxing but I’m not thinking about that now. I’m just enjoying my life – and concentrating on WWE.’

Furthermore, Frank Warren was not told before that announcement and Fury’s boxing promoter says: ‘I’m not in favour of this and it does put the Wilder fight in jeopardy. But he’s a grown man who makes his own decisions. I hope it’s more a show than a fight.’

Fury – who was given medical advice to avoid all physical exercise for at least six weeks after Otto Wallin cut his on June 15 and told not spar until Christmas – paints a different picture: ‘People say that WWE is a fake but now I know the hard reality. It’s the most physically taxing sport I’ve ever been involved in.

Fury is still unbeaten, and recently turned his hand to WWE in his break between fights

‘My first days of training opened my eyes to how athletic these guys really are. There’s always going to be injuries in a contact sport but I’m not worried. I’m a born prize-fighter who’s been fighting his whole life.’

He is also a long-time WWE enthusiast and his eldest son is an avid follower. Two more reasons for making a move which will dismay boxing and its fans. As for WWE, the financial investment of luring boxing’s lineal world heavyweight champion is weighed against the need to reverse something of a fall in TV audiences.

Hence, also, that organisation’s continuing expansion into oil-rich Saudia Arabia. Like Joshua, who is under fire from human rights campaigners for taking the Ruiz fight there, Fury can expect criticism for following suit.

To which he says: ‘I’m not a politician. I’m a fighting man from a fighting gypsy family and I go where I’m paid to fight.’

In another twist to the tale, Fury’s fight with Strowman will be televised live on Sky Sports Box Office, even though he is contracted to box on BT Sport in this country as well as ESPN in the US.