US BOXING promoter Bob Arum has claimed Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are in talks over a unified heavyweight clash in the Middle East.
That would involve both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte stepping aside for a bout to go ahead.
Joshua has exercised his rematch clause with Usyk after being outpointed by the Ukrainian in September, while Fury is set to take on Whyte.
But according to Arum, both of those fights could be scrapped in favour of a unified bout, as reported by talkSPORT.
However, Arum has hinted that there is no guarantee that a unified clash for the ages between the two undefeated will go ahead, with talks currently in ‘total chaos’.
He said: “It is total chaos. What’s happening is just promises coming out of the Middle East about doing a unified fight with Usyk and Fury, and is Dillian Whyte gonna step aside.
He continued: “It’s a typical terrible kind of situation, but hopefully it’ll get sorted out and probably it will get sorted out with a purse bid on Friday.”
Arum was then asked who out of Usyk or Whyte he believes will be Fury’s next opponent.
To which he replied: “I have absolutely no idea. Who are these people in the Middle East? And what’s their backing and all of that stuff? That’s not clear.”
He added: “Nobody has talked to us about buying out rights or getting our permission to go ahead.”
Both Joshua and Eddie Hearn have previously confirmed that AJ will NOT step aside, and still plans to fight Usyk in the spring.
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