Oleksandr Usyk has received a stern caution from the father of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
The outspoken John Fury recently voiced his opinion vehemently regarding the ongoing negotiations between his son and Usyk, the Ukrainian heavyweight champion who holds the titles of the WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO, claiming that Usyk does not deserve to be compensated equitably.
“Again, treat Tyson like a great champion he is,” John Fury told iD Boxing. “Stop being, trying to be the A-side. Usyk is not Tyson’s equal. Fall in line, you’ll get the fight done. Do not respect Tyson, you won’t get the fight. Simple as that.”
Recently, Alexander Krassyuk, Usyk's promoter, maintained that his team would not accept a financial offer that was not a 50-50 split. Both Bob Arum's Top Rank and Frank Warren's Queensberry are promoting Fury in the US.
Even though it doesn't seem like John Fury is actively involved in negotiations, he insisted that Usyk's alleged implacability could end the mega fight.
“Tyson’s the A-side,” he continued. “Usyk is not worthy of 50-50. He couldn’t sell the [20,000-seat] O2 [arena] out. So, fall in line and you might get the fight.”
The two fighters have been engaged in negotiations for several months, but recently encountered a stumbling block when it became obvious that the Middle East would no longer serve as the venue for their undisputed heavyweight matchup.
Instead, the officials have changed their focus to the United Kingdom, with London's Wembley Stadium being the front-runner. For the fighters, the financial dynamics have also shifted, and not necessarily for the better. The fighters now have to "share the pot" made from the gate, pay-per-view sales, and ancillary income sources, as opposed to being paid top dollar through separate agreements from investors had the fight taken place in Saudi Arabia.
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