Fury v Usyk fight could still be saved - Warren

Last updated on .From the section Boxing

Promoter Frank Warren is planning further talks with Oleksandr Usyk's camp to try to salvage the undisputed heavyweight fight against Tyson Fury.

But the terms for an immediate rematch have proved a sticking point, with Team Usyk set to walk away.

Warren said he was hoping to rescue the fight during further talks with Usyk's promoter on Wednesday afternoon.

Representatives for unified champion Usyk say they have done everything within their power to make the bout happen.

"I've sent [Usyk's promoter Alexander Krassyuk] a message and I've had one back. We're going to speak in a couple of hours' time," Fury's co-promoter Warren said.

"I want the fight to happen. It's a very important fight for boxing, it's an important fight for Usyk whose dream is to unify the titles and it's an important fight for Tyson to go and do what he set out to do."

Both parties still have until 1 April to agree a deal after the WBA said it would wait until that date before ordering Usyk to fight mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois.

A breakthrough in talks, followed by another obstacle

When Fury, 34, beat Derek Chisora in December to retain his WBC title, he said agreeing a deal with Usyk and his team for an undisputed fight would be easy - but that has not proven to be the case.

After months of back and forth, Fury publicly declared 12 days ago he would not accept anything less than a 70/30 purse split in his favour.

Usyk surprised everyone by accepting that offer, despite holding three of the four world titles, and subsequently informed governing body the WBA that terms had been reached.
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However, Fury then said he would not sign any deal that included a rematch clause - leading to a conference call on Sunday morning between all parties.

Warren said "six or seven" outstanding issues were ironed out and he had managed to convince Fury to accept a rematch. The WBC champion agreed and the call ended with Team Fury optimistically preparing an official statement to announce the fight.

Warren teased on Twitter on Sunday that news was imminent, but the two sides again clashed over the proposed terms of a rematch.

According to Warren, Fury was against an immediate rematch in part as he did not want to be tied into two fights against Usyk as he was with Deontay Wilder, which meant he could not fight British rival Anthony Joshua.

The purse splits for a proposed rematch appear, however, to be the key unresolved issue to unlocking Fury v Usyk.

"It's very disappointing," Warren said. "I thought we would sort out the terms [for the rematch]. We've not been able to do it.

"What they want and what Tyson is prepared to give are two different things.

"The truth of the matter [is that] as a business decision, if he was to lose the fight or win the fight, Usyk will make more money from fighting Tyson in a return than defending the title against any of the three [mandatory] challengers - (Filip) Hrgovic, (Joe) Joyce or Dubois.

"That's why he wants the rematch in there. I get that and understand that, but that's not what it's all about."

'Why are we even talking about rematches?'

Usyk, the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and Ring magazine champion, would like a proposed rematch to happen in November or December, but there are fears among Team Fury that the four belts would have fractured by then.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman contacted the Fury camp on Wednesday to say the governing body could not guarantee its support for an immediate rematch.

Usyk, 36, wants a rematch clause like the one Joshua activated when they fought in 2021. The Briton was given the chance to immediately regain the titles and Usyk would want the same opportunity if he was beaten by Fury.

But if the Ukrainian overcame Fury in their first fight, he would also expect an improved purse split in a rematch.

There has not been an undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999 when Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield - and never been one in the four-belt era.

Warren is refusing to give up on rescuing the deal, but believes a "winner takes all" agreement is best considering there is no guarantee a rematch would include all four world titles.

The veteran promoter said he does not expect to be able to stage an undisputed heavyweight fight on any other date than 29 April.

"We don't want to wait," Warren said. "It's crazy isn't it. Why are we even talking about rematches?

"The terms of [the rematch], that's the problem. That's become the problem. And it's overtaken everything else."
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