Promoters are confident the all-British heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will still go ahead despite Fury ruling it out yesterday.
Fury had set a Monday 5pm deadline for Joshua and his team to agree terms on the December 3 fight.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn had described the deadline as “ridiculous” but, when it passed, Fury claimed the fight was off and said of his would-be opponent: “It’s now out in the cold with the wolfpack.”
But talks are ongoing between Hearn and Fury’s promoter Frank Warren behind the scenes as well as the pair’s legal teams in the hope of getting an official contract signed with the terms having already been agreed.
Warren said: “We’re not that far away from December 3. We’ve got to get it up on sale. The venue’s booked but there’s a lot of organisation involved.
“We’re working very hard to get it over the line. Tyson has told me what he wants. They’ve had the contract for 10 days and he’s lost patience with it. We’re trying to make it work. We’re waiting for the contract to come back.”
Warren and Hearn have rarely seen eye to eye as rival promoters but Hearn said on Twitter “I agree with Frank” when alerted to Warren’s comments about the ongoing talks between the two rival camps.
Joshua had previously said he was all set to sign the deal but that Monday was too soon a deadline with his lawyers going over the legalities of the contract.
The TV deal is said to be the biggest stumbling block. Joshua has a long-term deal with DAZN while Fury’s fights have been shown on BT Sport.
Warren is hopeful Fury will renege on his threat to pull out of the fight. Fury had said: “Forget about it, idiot, coward, s********, bodybuilder, always knew it. Always knew you didn’t have the minerals to fight the Gypsy King. Regardless of what the f*** you say now, I don’t really care. Good luck with your career and your life, end of. Peace out.”
