Oleksandr Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, has provided yet another downbeat update in the Tyson Fury negotiations.
The pair should battling for the undisputed heavyweight championship – arguably the most prestigious title in the sport. Despite the legacy on the line, a fight has failed to materialise in the three months of official negotiations.
Yesterday, Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, said talks were ongoing but that if the money wasn’t there to satisfy both parties then there wasn’t much he could do.
Speaking to TalkSPORT, Krassyuk agreed with the man across the negotiating table, but pointing out that it was a fair split they were interested in rather than a guaranteed figure.
“Frank Warren said he’s got a pot and he needs to get the agreement of both parties to participate, and if the money in the pot is not enough it won’t happen.”
“I completely agree with it. On our side, we have nothing more to add.”
“We are not asking for a figure, we are asking for a split and probably the split doesn’t work well if someone is asking for a figure, and I can definitely say that it’s not our party.”
“If it generates a lot, then we are happy to share it. If it doesn’t, it is what it is.
“But it’s all about the glory, it’s all about the legacy, it’s all about the huge thing, the fight has never happened before so we are really thirsty to make it happen.”
Krassyuk then gave fans an insight into the figures, claiming a half and half agreement was later rescinded by Fury.
There has been plenty of talk of the split, and what each man feels he deserves, especially if the fight lands in Fury’s home country at Wembley Stadium.
“We initially agreed for 50/50. But then Tyson was asking for some bigger money.”
“So we made it clear that we are ready to go 60/40, but the winner takes 60. That was our latest offer.”
Asked if Fury turned that down, Krassyuk responded ‘yes exactly’ – and offered a theory as to why.
“Normally when a fighter does not want to take a fight, he asks for something impossible so it doesn’t take place.”
Should the fight fail to be made – and that’s looking likelier by the day – it will be yet another failure on boxing’s part to make the biggest and most significant contests possible. There’s no official word, but April 29 comes ever closer.