CARLOS TAKAM’S camp has claimed Tyson Fury pulled out of their December fight because he was too ‘tough’.
The duo were reportedly set to square off next month in the Gypsy King’s first fight since downing Deontay Wilder.
Having moved against a third contest with the American, Fury is seeking a new opponent before an eventual clash against Anthony Joshua.
Takam, 39, lost to AJ three years ago but has won four fights in a row.
And the Cameroonian’s promoter, Joe DeGuardia, has revealed how Fury’s camp pulled the plug on a deal to fight on December 5.
He told Sky Sports: “We really wanted that fight.
“We thought it would be a great fight for Carlos and a good fight for boxing, and I thought it would fit well. We’re disappointed.
“I think he knew he would have a tough fight with Carlos, a guy who has got a lot of experience and a risky fight, and instead opted for the guy who had the optics of being undefeated, but not as difficult as Carlos would be.
“[Carlos] was 100 per cent confident. He clearly thought that he was going to win. He was training very hard and was very much looking forward to the fight.
“I think we were at I would say 98 per cent done [in negotiations] and then it just changed in one day.
“Not necessarily with Fury, we were done with every other aspect, and maybe Fury’s team probably didn’t want Carlos for the reasons we just discussed, I would imagine.”
The Brit, 32, has also been touted to fight little-known German boxer Agit Kabayel.
But Fury will not fight until 2021 – a move which has threatened to torpedo his hopes of facing rival Joshua in the coming months.
