Tyson Fury’s world heavyweight title unification fight with Oleksandr Usyk is off after it emerged talks between the camps of the rival champions had broken down completely. Anthony Joshua, who lost his IBF, WBA and WBO belts to Usyk, and was defeated again by the Ukrainian in a rematch last summer, said the failure to make the bout was “crazy”.
Joshua also suggested that Fury’s unpredictable demands were to blame for the disappointing collapse of a contest that had promised to give boxing its first undisputed world heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 – when Lennox Lewis held the four major titles at the same time.
“Look at all the shit they are going through now with Usyk,” Joshua said as he reflected on the enduring chaos of the heavyweight division. “It’s just crazy. I don’t publicise things so it’s actually good that people are starting to see what goes on in negotiations. It’s good that they can actually see the shit that [boxers such as Usyk] have got to put up with to make a fight. Me and Usyk got two successful fights done.”
The British heavyweight, who makes his comeback a week on Saturday against Jermaine Franklin, endured a similar breakdown of two planned bouts with Fury in 2021 and again late last year. “As much as I like to entertain that gossip about the Fury situation,” Joshua said, “I have been there twice before and people don’t remember that. I was supposed to fight him before I fought Usyk the first time [in September 2021] and he pulled out due to his legal case, the court arbitration with Deontay Wilder [whom Fury then beat in their rematch that October]. Then we had the second [planned fight between Joshua and Fury] last December.”
Negotiations for that proposed bout soon evaporated amid mutual acrimony that predates the strife that has so infuriated the Usyk camp. Egis Klimas, who manages Usyk, stressed that Fury’s constant and changing demands over the past two months have made negotiations impossible. “No matter how much Usyk compromised, he was pushed for more,” Klimas said.
The unification bout had been scheduled to take place at Wembley Stadium on 29 April with Fury defending his WBC title while trying to win the three belts held by Usyk. The Ukrainian had sought a 50-50 split of the highly lucrative purse but Fury rejected this claim on social media last month.
“They want 50%, Usyk, and [saying] ‘Tyson is being greedy’”, Fury complained on an Instagram video. “From where I’m standing, Usyk, you and your team are worth 30%. You either take it or you leave it. And if you don’t want it, go fight Daniel Dubois at the Copper Box [Arena in London] and get a few million dollars. If you want to make some real money, come and fight The Gypsy King. Sign the contract, get your money and get fucked up.”
Usyk, to the surprise of many, accepted the reduced offer that same day. On another Instagram video, Usyk spoke directly to Fury: “Hey greedy belly, I accept your offer. 70/30 split to fight on April 29 at Wembley. But you will promise to donate one million pounds£1m to Ukraine immediately after the fight. And for every day of your delay, you will pay 1% from your purse to [the] Ukrainian people. Deal?”
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It seemed as if a deal had been struck, only for Fury to then insist that he would not agree to any rematch clause being added to the contract. Usyk said he was still ready to fight Fury and, again for a fleeting few days, it seemed as if the bout could be salvaged. But a final impasse this week meant that negotiations came to a shuddering halt and, on Wednesday, it was confirmed that both parties had walked away to make new plans for separate fights against different heavyweight contenders.
Asked if he expects to eventually face Fury in the ring, possibly even later this year, a resigned Joshua said: “I cannot say I am just going to sit around and wait for this geezer. There are other great fights out there I can have. Without Fury on my record I will not wake up tomorrow and regret my whole boxing career. If he is on it, I am on it, if he is not, he is not. Whatever.”
