The WBA have been informed that Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have agreed terms to a deal, as per ESPN.
The undisputed heavyweight fight between the two champions – Fury WBC, and Usyk WBA, WBO, and IBF – has been in negotiations since December of 2022.
A proposed four-belt clash looked set to fall apart at the last hurdle recently as both sides pointed to financial disagreements as a sticking point in the talks.
It was previously reported that Usyk’s side would only accept a 50/50 purse split, and that Fury’s team believed this was unacceptable – particularly with the fight likely to land in his home country at Wembley Stadium.
‘The Gypsy King’ confirmed this by offering his Ukrainian counterpart just 30% of the deal, in a social media call out that many thought would spell the end of negotiations.
Usyk, however, accepted this, with the caveat that Fury would donate a portion of his earnings to Ukraine in the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia.
ESPN are now reporting that these terms have been agreed, and that the WBA – who are set to order their mandatory challenger to face Usyk should undisputed fight fall through – have pushed their deadline back.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are closing in on a deal for an undisputed heavyweight championship fight – planned for April 29 at London’s Wembley Stadium – after both sides notified the WBA that they have agreed to terms, president Gilberto Mendoza told ESPN.
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) March 10, 2023
The heavyweight undisputed championship is perhaps boxing’s biggest honour, and fans will be buoyed by this recent development whilst still feeling the fight should have been signed and sealed a long time ago. Whether or not the rest of the details can be ironed out is another story entirely.
Cynics will call it an extension for another inevitable disappointment, whilst optimists can get excited that one sole heavyweight champion should be crowned soon.
With a fight date of April 29 targeted, more is expect soon.