TYSON FURY has accused Anthony Joshua of blowing a £66million super-fight opportunity.
After the WBC agreed to delay the purse bids for Fury vs mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte for a frustrating fourth time, the Gypsy King took aim at AJ on social media tonight.
The 32-year-old Team GB legend has been offered a stepaside deal, in the region of £15m, to cancel his rematch against WBA, IBF and WBO world champ Oleksandr Usyk and let Fury, 33, meet him to decide an undisputed champion.
Part of the plan would have to include AJ getting first crack at all four of the belts – after the potential Saudi Arabia clash – but Whyte is the WBC’s long-waiting mandatory challenger and would not accept that lightly.
Fury’s dig suggests Joshua has refused the offer of a stepaside fee AND a guaranteed shot at the winner to fulfil the instant rematch clause he activated after losing to Usyk in September.
In his best American accent, Fury roared: “I had to do this video, Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua have to be the worst two damn businessmen in history. Today they lost 90 million dollars, god damn sons of b******.”
Almost every respected boxing pundit believes the stepaside deal is a no-brainer for AJ, especially as he is yet to confirm a new head trainer after parting with mentor Rob McCracken.
But such a strategic business move might harm his brand and reputation as a self-proclaimed throwback fighter.
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And Hearn confirmed that if he does allow Fury and Usyk to decide the first four-belt heavyweight king in history, it is likely to hurt him.
He said: “There has been an offer, there’s been several discussions with myself. I can’t rule it out, it’s not my job. AJ’s the boss – he will rule it out or not rule it out.
“He’s very smart about the plan. He won’t want to do it. Sometimes you have to think with your head. There is a smart play here somewhere but Anthony is not about the money.
“If the plan makes sense from a development point of view – working with a new trainer, maybe having a fight first, going into a much bigger fight – yeah, I can see the sense in it.
“But with Anthony it’s never been a case of, ‘Here’s some money, does it tempt you?’ Because he’s not about that, he’s a throwback fighter, he’s about legacy.
“All he’s thinking about at the moment is beating Oleksandr Usyk.”
A WBC statement said: “The World Boxing Council has received once again requests from the teams of Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte, to extend the period of free negotiations.
“The WBC has granted this final extension and If there is no agreement, a purse bid will be held this coming Friday, January 28.”
