LONDON — The attempted fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk to proclaim the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 2000 is faltering as the two boxers have not quite agreed on contractual terms for a rematch.
Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, told Britain’s talkSPORT channel on Wednesday that his fighter had grown tired of negotiating with Fury because his rival put up “too many obstacles to agree to the fight.”
Frank Warren, Fury’s British promoter, said the conflict in the negotiations is over the sharing of the proceeds from a rematch. Warren is confident that negotiations will resume soon.
The last undisputed heavyweight champion was Lennox Lewis from 1999-2000.
Usyk, the WBA, WBO and IBF champion, took to social media last week, agreeing to Fury’s terms to fight on April 29 in London, with a 70-30 split tilted in Fury’s favour. Reigning Monarch of the WBC.
The WBA set April 1 as the deadline for the two to finally agree, otherwise Usyk would have to make a mandatory defense.
“There was a feeling that when Usyk went 70-30, Tyson Fury began to believe that he could manipulate Usyk to the max. He was wrong,” Krassyuk told talkSPORT.
“Usyk allowed the 70-30 split. He is someone very loyal and with all the disposition for the fight to come true. But this fight has nothing to do with Tyson Fury. It’s about the WBC belt and (Usyk) increasing his collection.”
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Warren did not want the parties to agree on everything except the rematch clause, agreeing on issues such as hotel and travel reservations, and which of the two will be the first to get on the rack at Wembley Stadium.
Fury did not want a rematch as part of the deal, but Warren said he was able to convince Fury to change his mind.
Krassyuk previously said that Usyk could end up fighting Britain’s Daniel Dubois, the Ukrainian’s first challenger.
