Eddie Hearn has dared Tyson Fury not to fight Oleksandr Usyk as he is extremely unlikely to receive his £500million demand.
The 'Gypsy King' vowed to retire from the sport after defeating Dillian Whyte back in April, but has now made a U-turn and confirmed his intentions to face Usyk after his rematch victory against Anthony Joshua. Prior to his U-turn, Fury had backtracked from plans to hang up his gloves by claiming he would re-enter the ring for a groundbreaking £500million purse.
Fury has since reiterated his stance on a £500m purse and believes promoters will need to dig deep financially to put on the event. He told talkSPORT : “It’s some foreigner who nobody really cares about. To fight this unknown entity and give him an opportunity of legendary status? They have to pay for that.
"This fight is purely about money. I’m happily retired. It’s the biggest fight in the world so it needs to be the biggest pay day in the world. [Floyd] Mayweather got £400million to fight [Manny] Pacquiao, I want £500m!" Now, however, promoter Hearn has suggested Fury will not receive anywhere near his financial demands, and believes if the champion is a man of his word, he won't box Usyk for a smaller purse.
"That is a lot of money and the aim for Usyk is to stage the fight for the undisputed championship," Hearn told iFL TV when assessing the chances of Fury's fight with Usyk taking place. What does Tyson Fury want? $500 million. He isn't getting anywhere near that money so maybe he doesn't take the fight. I am not so sure he does.
"If he is a man of his word which we all know he isn't, then $500 million or he isn't fighting. There you go he isn't fighting. He isn't negotiating with any governing bodies he has said he won't fight for $500 million or a penny less."
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Fury would likely enter any fight with Usyk as the favourite despite his rival's victory over Joshua, and it will likely take place despite Fury's public astronomical demand. The 'Gypsy King's' promoter Frank Warren has suggested the fight is already "made" with just a venue and date to be agreed for the fight.
It was suggested initially that the pair will fight in Saudi Arabia in December on the night before the World Cup Final in Qatar during a rich sporting schedule for the Middle East. However reports have since indicated it will now be pushed back until February while Usyk recovers from his fight with Joshua.
Fury accepted Usyk's fight offer on social media immediately after his rival's win on social media, when he said: If you want those belts back then send in the Gypsy barbarian. But it's not going to be cheap, if you want the best you have to pay. It's going to be very expensive; so get your chequebook out and I will relieve the Ukrainian dosser of the belts."
