JOHN FURY has urged Anthony Joshua to accept a step-aside offer to allow son Tyson to face Oleksandr Usyk.
AJ is on course to rematch the undefeated Usyk early next year but has entertained the idea of allowing the Ukrainian to face Fury in an undisputed bout.
Promoter Eddie Hearn recently revealed it’d take around £40million for Joshua to forgo his rematch with the slick southpaw, which John reckons he should take.
Speaking to iFL TV, the 57-year-old said: “It’s a business, boxing.
I do believe AJ wants to fight Usyk that’s why he’s asked for £40 million – and I don’t blame him – I’d ask for £70 million!
“AJ wants to avenge his loss and he can bounce back – he has proved it.
“If someone is a big enough fool to pay it, then let them pay it!
“I definitely think AJ wants to fight Usyk, but if he can get a sensible offer – to do nothing – he can take it and then have a crack at the winner.
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“But I think for AJ it’s not about the money. It’s a pride thing. I don’t blame the lad.”
Preliminary talks for Joshua to step aside have taken place, although Matchroom Boxing chief Hearn has yet to approach the Brit with the offer.
He recently told The DAZN Boxing show: “I spoke to him yesterday – we’ve had some approaches about this.
“No real deep conversations, but just regards to the concept.
“The concept being you let Fury and Usyk fight for undisputed and you fight the winner.
“Yesterday Anthony said to me, ‘Just to sort of warn you, regarding a step-aside, it’s against everything I believe in. All I wanna do is fight Oleksandr Usyk.
“‘I trust you that if some kind of plan comes up that is a great financial package, but more importantly gives me time to gel with a new trainer and then go into a massive fight for huge money later on in the year, and you think that’s right for my career, then let me know.
“But he said, ‘Let me warn you, when you do that, you’re under threat yourself because I don’t want to do it.’”
AJ suffered a lopsided points defeat to Usyk in their September showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
And should he opt against stepping aside, he plans to make their second bout an all-out war.
He told iFL TV: I have one thing in my mind, that’s war, that’s murder, that’s war, let’s go out there and hurt the guy.
“Take his soul to the point where he wants to give up. That’s what boxing’s about, I’ve learned that.
“You hit people constantly, keep on applying a certain amount of pressure, before they know it they’ll realise you aren’t going anywhere, you’re here to stay.
“With the game plan, that’s all I have in my mind at the minute, that one track, stay on course, take this guy to places he doesn’t want to go.”
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