BoxRec

Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk agree to terms on title fight

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 on Friday.

Mendoza said he received confirmation from both fighters' promoters that a tentative agreement is in place ahead of the WBA's 5 p.m. ET deadline for Usyk to defend his title against mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois. Dubois holds the WBA's "regular" title, but the organization continues to consolidate belts.

Fury, in an Instagram video posted Friday, called on Ukraine's Usyk to accept 30% to the Englishman's 70% of the cut for one of the biggest fights boxing can deliver. Fury holds the WBC title and is ESPN's No. 1 heavyweight (No. 7 pound-for-pound); Usyk owns the WBA, WBO and IBF belts and is ESPN's No. 2 heavyweight (No. 3 pound-for-pound).

As part of the deal, Usyk asked Fury to donate $1 million to relief efforts in Ukraine as the country continues to defend itself from Russia's invasion. The fight, once finalized, will be offered on ESPN pay-per-view in the U.S., sources said.

"They want 50%, Usyk and all this 'Tyson is being greedy,'" Fury said in the Instagram video. "From where I'm standing, Usyk, you and your team are worth 30. You either take it or you leave it. And if you don't want it, go fight Daniel Dubois at the Copper Box [Arena in London] and get a few million dollars.

"If you want to make some real money, come and fight The Gypsy King. ... I will say, for every day from today that you linger, mess around, I'm going to deduct 1% from the 30%. ... Sign the contract, get your money and get f---ed up. ... Tick, tock."

Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) stayed busy in December with a 10th-round TKO of Derek Chisora to retain his heavyweight title. After Fury stopped Dillian Whyte in six rounds last April, he announced his retirement, but it lasted only four months.

The 34-year-old Fury defeated another Ukrainian, Wladimir Klitschko, to win the unified heavyweight championship in 2015. He was out of the ring for nearly three years as he dealt with alcohol and substance abuse along with depression. During that hiatus, he ballooned to 400 pounds.

Fury returned to the ring with two wins over soft opposition before he survived two knockdowns vs. Deontay Wilder to settle for a draw in a fight most observers believed he won. Fury left no doubt in the rematch, a seventh-round TKO to win the WBC title. The trilogy fight, which Fury won via 11th-round KO, was named ESPN's Fight of the Year and Knockout of the Year for 2021.

"Hey greedy belly, I accept your offer, 70/30 split to fight on April 29 at Wembley," Usyk wrote on Instagram. "But you will promise to donate 1 million pounds to Ukraine immediately after the fight. And for every day of your delay, you will pay 1 % from your purse to Ukrainian people. Deal?"

Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) won the undisputed cruiserweight championship with a unanimous-decision victory over Murat Gassiev in 2018 before he moved up to heavyweight in 2019. The Olympic gold medalist defeated Chisora in his second heavyweight fight before he signed for a bout with Anthony Joshua for three heavyweight titles.

Usyk, 36, defeated Joshua via unanimous decision in September 2021 and retained his unified championship with a split-decision win in the August rematch. The southpaw is one of the most skilled boxers in the world but also showed off his power against Joshua; he appeared on the verge of stopping AJ in the final round of the first fight.

Now, Fury and Usyk are on the verge of the biggest challenges of their illustrious careers, a matchup poised to crown boxing's first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era.

There’s been a lot of noise in the background that this is being sorted out.

Of course all big fights go to Saudi. They’ll put whatever want and boxers get their purses.

Shame such fights can’t happen in the UK.

I reckon the fights more or less sorted and it’ll be announced after Fury beats Chisora for the 3rd time.

I see no reason for this fight happening in Saudi Arabia considering if Fury does literally have 50,000 tickets sold for a fight nobody wants. He already had 90,000 tickets sold for Whyte. It wouldn't be difficult at all to have the biggest purse in boxing history against Usyk in the UK.

the reason would be some hugely wealthy arse saudis can make it even more lucrative in the middle east than it would be selling 100k in the uk

and promoters, boxers, etc still like a mega shitload of money more than a shitload of money

Zzzzzzz

... but as with anything Fury let's just take it with a big pinch of salt.

He theoretically offered to fight AJ in December for 60/40 ... He will most likely try to get Wilder 4

tonyevs wrote: ↑25 Oct 2022, 03:05 ... but as with anything Fury let's just take it with a big pinch of salt.

He theoretically offered to fight AJ in December for 60/40 ... He will most likely try to get Wilder 4

I agree. I genuinely don't think Fury fancies the Uysk fight.

It looks like after Usyk simultaneously made the Fury call out and announced plans to have a rest first, the team Fury decided to make a keep-busy fight in order not to wait for Usyk for a year. Apparently, they made a deal with Chisora long time ago, since a keep-busy bout against a noname won't attract anybody and maybe even won't be sanctioned by the WBC. Probably Chisora was a reserve option during the express negotiations with Joshua. So, the spring bout against Usyk seems real, if the Ukrainian doesn't decide to heal another injury or to come back to his country.

Usyk probably won’t fight now til then.

Let’s hope his injuries are healed.

Tyson will probably get cut Otto style against Del and this will get put off.

Then Usyk v Joyce ends in a draw.


Typical boxing at the mo.

It would be pretty cool if it was held on March 17th St Patrick's Day which would be kind of be a career coming full circle for Fury considering in the amateurs he tried to get in the Olympic trials (I think) on the basis that his grandparents were Irish.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑27 Oct 2022, 15:20

It would be really good for boxing if that fight is made. My admiration for Fury, as a boxer, would be restored again.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑27 Oct 2022, 17:21

Thanks for sharing this interview. Very interesting.

1119792 wrote: ↑28 Oct 2022, 05:30

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑27 Oct 2022, 16:20 It would be pretty cool if it was held on March 17th St Patrick's Day which would be kind of be a career coming full circle for Fury considering in the amateurs he tried to get in the Olympic trials (I think) on the basis that his grandparents were Irish.

Do they celebrate St Patrick's in Dubai?

They'll celebrate anything to get the fight over there.

This fight imo would be amazing.

I think Fury would have to be at his absolute best to beat Usyk

Spud wrote: ↑30 Oct 2022, 13:55 This fight imo would be amazing.

I think Fury would have to be at his absolute best to beat Usyk

I doubt it will happen , My take is Fury will say its not about the belts he,s the attraction and deman 70...30 split Usyk will say he,s got more belts and demand 50..50 Fury will say he,s not wasting time on Aj and fight the winner of Wilder ,, Ruiz saying he,s been ordered too ,,,poor old Jocye will then relize he,s been put in the to hard basket and admit that he was ready for Fury on the 3rd but Fwank told him NO and dont rock the boat , he,ll acuse fwank of promising him a shot in 23 and noe renaging torotect Tyson ,,, Fwank gets his lawyers involved but they all kiss and make up whe Jocyce signs a 10 year exclusive deal with Fwank and gets to fight Dubiou for the title Fury gives up when he gets depressed again ,,

Usyk Wants Tyson Fury Fight In Ukraine; Sets March 4 Deadline

WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has again called for a unification fight with reigning WBC champ Tyson Fury, and the 35 year old southpaw has said he would very much like the fight to take place in his homeland of Ukraine. Also, in speaking at the Web Summit in Lisbon as reported by Sky Sports, Usyk set a deadline of sorts.

Usyk, who is a staunch Christian said the fight has to happen either by March 4 or after that, in April. The reason? Usyk fasts before Easter and he does not fight during this period. Fury – who knows all about setting a deadline himself, as he did with regards to that teased fight with Anthony Joshua, with Fury repeatedly demanding that Joshua sign the contract, eventually walking away, losing patience – will not like being dictated to, yet we all know this fight has to happen.

“Right now my team is in conversations with Tyson Fury, and he is a really unpredictable person, so we can’t guarantee when,” Usyk said. “For me, the idea would be to fight maybe early February or the beginning of March, like March 4, because I am an orthodox Christian. During the great fasting before Easter I do not fight, so it should be all before or then after orthodox Easter (April 16). I want to fight with Fury because I need the fourth belt, and I don’t want to fight with anyone else until I have the fourth belt. For me, I would really like to fight in Ukraine. The country is really capable of hosting this kind of fight.”

It seems unlikely a Usyk-Fury showdown will take place in Ukraine, as the big money offers will no doubt come from the Middle East, or maybe even the UK (although a stadium fight in February or March in the UK is obviously not ideal, what with the weather). Usyk himself said that he expects the Fury fight to be held in Saudi Arabia, yet he says he would love it to happen at the Olympic Arena in Ukraine. Money will of course talk.

But does Fury want this fight? Does he want it as much as Usyk wants it? Fury is, as Usyk says, unpredictable, and “The Gypsy King” is more than capable of throwing his fans a huge curveball – see his upcoming, no-one wants to see it trilogy fight with Derek Chisora. Might Fury shock us again by announcing how he has plans to fight someone other than Usyk next?

Who knows with Fury? But Usyk has now laid out his terms and we must wait and see how Fury reacts.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑02 Nov 2022, 11:28 Usyk Wants Tyson Fury Fight In Ukraine; Sets March 4 Deadline

WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has again called for a unification fight with reigning WBC champ Tyson Fury, and the 35 year old southpaw has said he would very much like the fight to take place in his homeland of Ukraine. Also, in speaking at the Web Summit in Lisbon as reported by Sky Sports, Usyk set a deadline of sorts.

Usyk, who is a staunch Christian said the fight has to happen either by March 4 or after that, in April. The reason? Usyk fasts before Easter and he does not fight during this period. Fury – who knows all about setting a deadline himself, as he did with regards to that teased fight with Anthony Joshua, with Fury repeatedly demanding that Joshua sign the contract, eventually walking away, losing patience – will not like being dictated to, yet we all know this fight has to happen.

“Right now my team is in conversations with Tyson Fury, and he is a really unpredictable person, so we can’t guarantee when,” Usyk said. “For me, the idea would be to fight maybe early February or the beginning of March, like March 4, because I am an orthodox Christian. During the great fasting before Easter I do not fight, so it should be all before or then after orthodox Easter (April 16). I want to fight with Fury because I need the fourth belt, and I don’t want to fight with anyone else until I have the fourth belt. For me, I would really like to fight in Ukraine. The country is really capable of hosting this kind of fight.”

It seems unlikely a Usyk-Fury showdown will take place in Ukraine, as the big money offers will no doubt come from the Middle East, or maybe even the UK (although a stadium fight in February or March in the UK is obviously not ideal, what with the weather). Usyk himself said that he expects the Fury fight to be held in Saudi Arabia, yet he says he would love it to happen at the Olympic Arena in Ukraine. Money will of course talk.

But does Fury want this fight? Does he want it as much as Usyk wants it? Fury is, as Usyk says, unpredictable, and “The Gypsy King” is more than capable of throwing his fans a huge curveball – see his upcoming, no-one wants to see it trilogy fight with Derek Chisora. Might Fury shock us again by announcing how he has plans to fight someone other than Usyk next?

Who knows with Fury? But Usyk has now laid out his terms and we must wait and see how Fury reacts.

Big Doofus assures us that Fury vs Uysk will happen early next year. And that's good enough for me..

Absolutely no way Fury will use not wanting to be dictated to re dates, as a reason to box someone else altogether. No sireee..

For this poll and for all future fights, can we have a "Fight won't happen" option, please?

Usyk Wants Fury Next: I Need The Fourth Belt, I Don't To Fight Anyone Else!

"Right now my team is seeking conversations with Tyson Fury, and he is really an unpredictable person, so we can’t guarantee when," Usyk said at a Web Summit in Lisbon.

"For me, the idea would be to fight maybe early February or the beginning of March, like March 4, because I am an orthodox Christian. During the great fasting before Easter I do not fight, so it should be all before or then after orthodox Easter [which is on April 16]. I want to fight with Fury because I need the fourth belt, and I don’t want to fight with anyone else until I have the fourth belt."

"The organizers are trying to figure out where they can earn more money. For me, yes, I would really like to fight in Ukraine. The country is really capable of hosting this kind of fight," Usyk said.

"I would be really happy to see it happen in the Olympic Arena in Ukraine. But it is not me who chooses the venue, so I guess it will be Saudi Arabia [this time]."

See this is how it should be.

Get it all done behind the scenes..

There’s no need to negotiate through socials.

Sort it out.. a little update here and there is fine.

When it’s sorted, then announce it.

I do think it will be announced in the ring after Fury beats Chisora.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Nov 2022, 12:06

See this is how it should be.

Get it all done behind the scenes..

There’s no need to negotiate through socials.

Sort it out.. a little update here and there is fine.

When it’s sorted, then announce it.

I do think it will be announced in the ring after Fury beats Chisora.

Be funny if Chisora irons him out then we would get Usyk Chisora 2