Tyson Fury refuses the champion

The most anticipated boxing match since the beginning of the century, which should bring in the heavyweight ring the owner of three championship belts at once – the International Boxing Federation (IBF), the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oleksandr Usyk and the champion of the World Boxing Council ( WBC) Tyson Fury may not take place. Instead of the Ukrainian opponent, Fury chose Anthony Joshua, who was beaten twice by the same Usyk, as an opponent. Judging by the statements of the parties, the meeting of the boxers, already called the “Battle of Britain”, may take place in December.

On Monday, representatives of two British heavyweight boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua held a crucial round of negotiations regarding their proposed meeting in the ring in early December. This publication reported Daily Mail. The fate of the title of absolute world champion largely depends on their outcome. The heavyweights have not had such for more than 20 years. Since the days of Lennox Lewis.

On Sunday, Tyson Fury released a statement on social media criticizing Anthony Joshua. He expressed his outrage that “that asshole jock Joshua still hasn’t signed the contract he got a week ago.” Fury added that he thinks Joshua is “incapable of anything.” As, however, and Oleksandr Usyk, whom he previously called “unnecessary unknown foreigner.” The WBC champ has set a deadline this past Monday for Joshua to sign the proposed contract. Otherwise, he threatened to withdraw from the negotiations altogether.

In response, Anthony Joshua, for whom the fight with Fury is, in fact, the last chance to save his career, said he was ready to fight on the proposed conditions, providing that 60% of the prize fund would go to his opponent.

But he referred to the fact that he could not sign the contract yet, since lawyers were studying it. “Of course I will sign the contract. But you know how important it is in boxing to verify all the legal subtleties, ”said Joshua. We add that at the same time as the representatives of the fighters on Monday, the managers of two broadcast networks representing the boxers, BT Sport and DAZN, also met. Tyson Fury said that they will make the final decision.

Tyson Fury’s desire to face Anthony Joshua in the ring looks rather strange at first glance. The latter once held three championship titles, but then conceded their Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian fighter surpassed the Briton both in the first meeting in the fall of 2021 and in the rematch in August 2022. In such a situation, the Fury-Usyk unification fight suggests itself. Not the fact, however, that it will take place.

The fact is that Alexander Usik, who immediately after the rematch with Joshua noted that he was ready to either fight Fury or end his career, is not ready to enter the ring against the Briton before the beginning of next year.

At the same time, Fury’s manager Frank Warren assured that just organizing the fight between his client and Usyk would not be a problem. In particular, because “Usyk is a free agent, not bound by a long-term contract with any of the TV channels.” It was assumed that the boxers will be able to split the prize fund from $100 million to $110 million in half. But the meeting between Fury and Joshua can generate no less money. Apparently, it is much easier for promoters to sell a fight called the “Battle of Britain” than a meeting between the super-popular Fury and Usyk, albeit decorated with the status of a fight for the title of absolute world champion.

Alexander Petrov