Anthony Joshua on Fury vs. Usyk failed negotiations: “Look at all the s**t they’re going through”

By Boxing News - 03/22/2023 - Comments

By Charles Brun: Anthony Joshua commented today on the failed Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk negotiations, and he’s not surprised at the ‘Gypsy King’ about to bungle putting together yet another huge fight.

Joshua recently found out how impossible it is to negotiate a fight with Fury late last year, when he attempted to put together a mega-fight for Saudi, only to have Tyson throw two deadlines at him because he was mad hurry for some reason.

You hate to say it, but Fury has been a dreadful nightmare to negotiate with.

After failing to get the Joshua fight over the line, Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) fought 39-year-old journeyman Derek Chisora in a godawful match-up last December.

Fury threw a bone to his old Chisora, giving him a crack at his WBC heavyweight world title despite Delboy losing three out of his last four fights.

There’s still a possibility that Fury and Usyk’s promoters can agree to get past the sticking point, which involves the rematch clause.

Joshua glad the spotlight put on Fury’s negotiations

“Look at all the s**t they are going through now with this Usyk stuff. It’s just crazy,” said Anthony Joshua to The Sun, discussing the stalled Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk negotiations for the undisputed heavyweight championship fight.

“I don’t publicize things, so it’s good that people can actually see the s**t that people have got to put up with to make a fight.

“Me and Usyk got two successful fights done. It’s just crazy. Will the fight between me and him get made?” Joshua said on whether he’ll ever face Fury. “I don’t know. 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.”

Interestingly, Fury wants a 50-50 purse split in a rematch with Usyk if he loses to him. At that point, Fury would have no belts going up against undisputed four-belt champion Usyk, and he feels that he would deserve parity. Usyk wants a 70-30 split.

Fury’s fans believe he’s justified in demanding an even split for the rematch with Usyk because there will undoubtedly be more fan interest in the second fight and more money on the table.

But given that Fury would still be belt-less and coming off a loss, it looks wrong for a fighter to be given the same deal as an unbeaten champion with all the belts.

If the shoe was on the other foot and Fury was in Usyk’s shoes with all the straps, there’s little chance he would ever agree to a 50-50 split, even if he were less popular than him.