British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury does not expect to fight Anthony Joshua this summer after American Deontay Wilder demanded $20million to step aside for their historical bout to go ahead.
The 32-year-old Tyson Fury had agreed to face fellow Brit Anthony Joshua, 31, in a highly-anticipated bout on the 14 of August in Saudi Arabia, with Australian online casinos set to back the game.
But Deontay Wilder’s camp forced an arbitration hearing which concluded the American had a contractual agreement right to fight Tyson Fury for a third time on or before 15 September.
Tyson Fury said Deontay Wilder “asked for $20m (£14m) to move over”, and added: “Looks like I will have to crack his skull again.”
Tyson Fury posted this message on Instagram over a video of Deontay Wilder training with coach Malik Scott.
Malik Scott has also posted that Wilder “declined and had no interest in step-aside money”.
“He wants blood and not step-aside money,” Scott tweeted. “Retribution is upon us.”
It will be recalled Tyson Fury stopped Wilder in 7 rounds last year February to emerge WBC World Heavyweight Champion, more than a year on from when the duo shared a draw in a debut meeting.
A trilogy bout was slated for last year but delays caused by the Pandemic and an injury to the American prompted Tyson Fury to pay attention to face Anthony Joshua.
The camps behind Fury and Joshua have engaged in lengthy talks. The promoter of Joshua, Eddie Hearn was adamant their bout was agreed and on Sunday Tyson Fury told his followers on Social media he too has signed off on the 14th of August fight in the Middle East.
Just about a day later, Wilder’s camp – who had always stated he had a deal in place for a trilogy fight with Fury- found out the success of their arbitration hearing.
Eddie Hearn has since said the situation is now out of his control and has set a deadline of the end of the week for Fury’s camp to resolve their situation with Wilder.
Hearn has for the first time, admitted a contest between his client and Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk, who is the WBO heavyweight title mandatory challenger.
Hearn, said the “game changed” with the ruling, adding: “We have to have a plan B in place”.
He added: “The one that springs to mind is the WBO mandatory – Oleksandr Usyk.”
Less than one week ago Eddie Hearn said he did not have any plan B in place because he was certain Joshua-Fury would be sealed, and best real money casino games are quite excited for the match-up.
OleksandrUsyk is now “waiting for the approval letter” from the WBO for a world title fight with Joshua that could now be their next match, says his promoter.
Usyk’s promoter, Alexander Krassyuk told newsmen “The WBO is extremely happy as their mandatory challenger will be facing their heavyweight champion,”
“What else can they desire? We are waiting for their approval letter!”
The President of WBO, Paco Valcarcel said: “I hope boxing fans will enjoy Joshua vs Usyk in the near future.”
The targeted date for the fight between Joshua and Usyk is in August at a big open-air arena in the United Kingdom, says Krassyuk.