Frank Warren offers to strike Anthony Joshua-like deal to save Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk | Boxing | Sport

Frank Warren claims that Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk isn’t off just yet. The Queensbury Promotions chief says he is going to partake in last-gasp negotiations with Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk in order to hopefully get the fight over the line and has offered to sweeten the deal with a similar rematch split clause to what was presented to Anthony Joshua in December.

Negotiations have continued to stall over the purse split for the historic event with Fury claiming he will not take the fight unless he receives a 70 per cent lion’s share of the prize pot. Meanwhile, Usyk’s side demanded at least 60-40 but did eventually give in to Fury’s demands.

However, according to boxing insider Mike Coppinger, discussions have collapsed due to both parties being unable to “agree on other material terms critical to the deal beyond the purse split”. Warren joined talkSPORT today and explained that this is due to a dispute over the purse split for the rematch and has offered to smooth things over by reversing the 70/30 split if Usyk wins the inaugural encounter.

Fury’s side offered a similar deal to Joshua in their most recent discussions when AJ’s team took exception to only being given 40 per cent of the split. “We’re willing to do the same deal on the rematch as they did with Anthony Joshua on the rematch,” said Warren.

He added: “As soon as we finish with you then me and Alex are going to get back on the fight and try do a deal. We’ve got maybe two days to get it done.”

But Krassyuk claims there is a lot to be done before an agreement can be reached. “The fight is called off,” he told talkSPORT. “The reason for that is it went too far. There was a feeling that after Usyk accepted 70-30, Tyson Fury started thinking that he could put a saddle around his neck and start riding Usyk as much as he can.

“It’s not right. I mean, Usyk accepted the 70-30 split as a courtesy. He was so loyal and he was so willing to make this fight happen. But the fight isn’t about Tyson Fury, the fight is about the WBC belt that is pending in his collection.”

He added: “If it’s so complicated that Tyson tries to avoid it by putting so many obstacles in front while making the deal then there’s no need to put more effort in and we just go our way.

“The only thing that stays in my mind, we can claim very clearly that undisputed stays our highest priority and we will do our best to make it happen in the shortest period of time, and whoever is the temporary holder of the WBC belt we will try to make it happen.”