Tyson Fury has declared that a fight with Anthony Joshua could be back on providing his rival signs the contract by the end of today.
The 'Gypsy King' decided to offer a WBC title challenge to his long-term rival after his own planned outing against Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed crown was delayed until next year. Joshua accepted the proposition and the champion's team sent over a contract, with Fury giving his British counterpart a ten-day deadline to seal the deal.
'AJ' signalled his intent to sign the paperwork but missed Fury's deadline, so the 34-year-old declared he would instead move on and face Manuel Charr in a voluntary defence on December 3 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. However, the undefeated star has now made an astonishing U-turn and declared that he will allow negotiations to continue.
WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE
Fury has suggested that Joshua must instead sign the contract today (Thursday) and has revealed that all agreements have been put in place including between broadcasters to get the fight over the line. This was all aired publicly across all forms of Fury's social media as he wrote a long message on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.
It read: "This is a message to Anthony Joshua. My promoter Frank Warren convinced me to let Queensberry carry on negotiating with your team this week, despite me knowing that you were never going to do this fight. I have just been told that BT, DAZN, ESPN all the broadcasters are all happy with the terms and are ready to support this fight.
"Your side has been given a contract that allows you to see every contract to negotiate contracts with any partners on the event. We have agreed to do it as co-promotion, everything in the pot, clean, fair, and transparently. I had a bet with Frank that it didn’t matter what we offered you, you would not take this fight.
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"So, it’s up to you, either I win my bet and you show the public the coward that you are or get your lawyers and your team on the phone today with my side, who are all available as they have been the whole time and get the contract signed. You have had this contract for 2 weeks now, my team have got everything done with the broadcasters, tickets, venue everything is ready to go.
"Someone sent me a video of your man Eddie, talking about the Wilder fight with you a while back and he says in there if you want a fight made, you, your team and your lawyers move quickly to make it happen. You have had 14 days, pull your finger out and make this fight happen for the British boxing public. Don’t be a coward, instruct your team to get this deal done."
Fury added a video on the same post aimed at Joshua, in which he added: "Now, Joshua, the ball is really in your court, son. Everybody is done, if you're a man and you've got any sort of dignity and pride about you, you'll get this contract signed today. There's no more days, weeks, you've had two weeks and you still haven't signed it. Show the public that you're really a big coward and don't sign it, I don't care.
"Either way, if you sign it now or you don't it makes no difference to me at all, you're a beaten man and I'm a world champion. I'm chucking you a massive bone, but I know I can punch your face in so I'm willing to give you an opportunity. There's nothing more to do, everyone is happy.
"Get your team on to mine, they will be available all day, like they've been available the last two weeks. Get this contract signed today, you big p**** and let the British fans have what they want. There's no more running, you have to fight me, you cannot escape, the Fury is coming, b****."
