Matchroom Promoter, Eddie Hearn, says recent events which led to the collapse of Tyson Fury’s undisputed title fight with Oleksandr Usyk, have pulled back the curtain and revealed the true character of ‘The Gypsy King’, causing the public’s perception of the WBC champion to change.
Fury issued a ‘take it or leave it’ 30% offer to Usyk, despite holding just one of the four belts and when, to the surprise of most, the Ukrainian accepted those terms, it seemed that the heavyweight division would finally crown it’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis.
However, further issues around the rematch financials and Usyk’s team pulled the plug on negotiations.
During the ‘On A Mission Podcast‘, Eddie Hearn says the public opinion of Fury is starting to change.
“Through the Usyk stuff, you are seeing the [public] opinion change, and I’m not looking to turn the screw on him, but people now see that, we got a day to sign the contract. He came out on social media and said “five ‘o’clock today, sign the contract”, these contracts are forty pages long, you’ve got to speak to broadcasters, sponsors, lawyers.”
“I feel with Tyson Fury, that he puts something out there that he thinks you won’t accept, and for us it was the date of December 3rd, which AJ accepted, and for Usyk it was the 70-30 [split]. When the fighters accept, he will try and find another reason for the fight to not take place.”
With a fight with Fury now off the table, Usyk seems set on fulfilling his mandatory obligations, with WBA regular title holder, Daniel Dubois, next in line.
However, Queensberry Promoter, Frank Warren hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Dubois stepping aside, in the unlikely chance that Fury and Usyk can come to an agreement for a summer clash.