The manager of the Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk has blamed the “Gypsy King” for the latest breakdown in negotiations regarding their unification superfight.
The two fighters’ camps have been engaged in heated negotiations and social media teasing in an effort to reach a settlement and crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000.
Usyk, the IBF, WBO and WBA champion, even agreed to Fury’s 70-30 split in the Brit’s favour and a date at Wembley for April 29 was provisionally set but, according to reports, “other material terms critical to the deal beyond the split” could not be agreed upon.
After months of negotiations, provisions for an April 29 bout at London’s Wembley Stadium have collapsed, with the Ukrainian’s team confirming he has left his training camp.
Egis Klimas, the manager of the WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight champion told ESPN that despite his client publicly agreeing to a 70-30 split, Fury continued making demands: “No matter how much Usyk compromised, he was pushed for more,” he said.
Another British fighter in Daniel Dubois is next in line to fight Usyk should they be unable to revive the Fury fight.
The 25-year-old Londoner won the WBA ‘regular’ title last summer after knocking out Trevor Bryan and defended the belt before Christmas.
The WBA officially ordered Usyk to defend his title against Dubois in December but at that stage, it looked unlikely that ruling would affect plans for the undisputed clash against Fury.
The WBA have since set a new deadline for 1 April for Fury vs Usyk to be made, with mandatory challenger Dubois waiting in the wings.
Usyk’s promoter, Alexander Krassyuk, who has held major doubts over the fight going ahead in recent weeks, has welcomed talk of a fight against Dubois in England.