Oleksandr Usyk has maintained he is in the driving seat as negotiations for his WBO ‘Interim’ heavyweight title fight with former amateur rival Joe Joyce rumble on.
WBO No.1 contender Usyk and No.2 ranked challenger Joyce are, in theory, fighting for the Puerto Rican organisation’s ‘Interim’ heavyweight belt, allowing the projected Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury showdown to retain its undisputed status.
But as with all heavyweight title negotiations at present, talks are moving at a snail’s pace with Ukrainian maestro Usyk and Londoner Joyce unable to agree terms.
Discussions have not run smoothly and now Usyk has taken to social media to dismiss the latest offer from Joyce.
“Joyce’s team made us an offer. The offer was unsuitable, so we made a more viable counter-offer,” said Usyk
“Joyce shouldn’t think too much of himself and fall in line with everyone else. I’ll be the one making the final decision.”
A Joshua vs Fury two-bout series has been agreed, but with no date or venue in place the heavyweight mega-fight is still some way off from becoming a reality.