The heavyweight unification bout that never was between WBA, WBO and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk 20-0 (13) and WBC counterpart Tyson Fury 33-0-1 (24) reportedly fell apart after an agreement could not be reached on the purse split for a rematch.
England’s Fury, 34, was due to take home the lion’s share of the purse with a 70/30 split in his favour for the first bout that was expected to take place at London’s Wembley Stadium on April 29. Ukrainian southpaw Usyk, 36, wanted the favour returned in the rematch. Fury would not budge on 50/50.
Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren claims that Usyk was trying to secure a fight with an unfit Fury – despite negotiations dating back to last year – before running scared.
“[Team Usyk] said the fight must take place before 29 April and if it goes later they want different splits,” Warren said to BBC Sport.
“The reason they did that was they didn’t think Tyson would be ready for the 29th and suddenly Tyson was ready for it. He has been in training camp for two and a half weeks, got trainers in from America and they looked for a way to get out.”
Unsurprisingly, Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk has a different view.
“The fight is called off. The reason for that is it went too far. There was a feeling that after Usyk accepted 70-30 [purse split], Tyson Fury started thinking that he could put a saddle around his neck and start riding Usyk as much as he can,” Krassyuk said to talkSPORT.
“It’s not right. I mean, Usyk accepted the 70-30 split as a courtesy. He was so loyal and he was so willing to make this fight happen. But the fight isn’t about Tyson Fury, the fight is about the WBC belt that is pending in his collection.
“If I start telling you the list of things [Fury] wanted, one, five, ten, or 15 minutes will not be enough. There was a list of things he wanted to get in his favour that was absolutely unacceptable, which were completely disrespectful to the unified champion and former undisputed [cruiserweight] champion.
“I cannot disclose the negotiations, it’s part of the ethics. So, if I start to go into the details, it won’t look good. Maybe, if the other party would be willing to take the decision to disclose what were the things then we can talk about it. At this time, I cannot do this just for this reason… With huge regret in my heart, I must admit [the fight is off]… [Usyk] will take a short break and comply with his mandatories.”
Fury – who was not even in camp for the proposed April 29 date according to his own trainer Sugarhill Steward – was predictably verbose in blaming Usyk for the fight falling apart.
“Usyk, you little shithouse,” Fury said on Instagram. “You proper little shithouse. You bug-eyed, buck-toothed, ugly little rat bastard. You little slimy fucker. Tried all week to get out of it, begging for a rematch like a little girl. You got your rematch then, and you didn’t even want to fight with that.
“You little shithouse, pussy. Always know, pussy, that you are never man enough to tangle with the Gypsy King ever in your life, you little shithouse. You little fourteen-stone coward. You little shithouse. You rat little bastard. And your full team know it as well.
“And all the lawyers have full information. You little ugly bastard. Keep running. Fight [Daniel] Dubois now for a couple o’ bucks, shitbag, and always know that you are anybody else like you could never tangle with the Gypsy King, you shithouse little coward.”
