Back in October the world of boxing was given a taste of what could be when upon his defeat of Derek Chisora, Tyson Fury hurled a barrage of ringside taunts at Oleksandr Usyk.
The Gypsy King made it clear the Ukrainian would be his preferred next opponent in a fight that would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999, catching the attention of fans globally.
Ever since that moment, negotiations have been taking place between the two parties to make the bout happen this spring. There has been much debate about whether a conclusion would be reached in recent months, until now, as Usyk's team has finally confirmed the unfortunate collapse of any talks.
This is news that will no doubt leave the masses disappointed, leaving questions over why this is the case. Well, the Manchester Evening News can explain the events that have played out over recent months to help provide some clarity.
Why is Fury vs Usyk off?
Since negotiations began there have been plenty of stories surrounding the contracts that would need to be signed in order to make the fight happen, with stumbling blocks regularly cropping up.
First, it was the location. Saudi Arabia was heavily suggested as a host earlier this year, until we reached March, when Wembley Stadium became the likely venue for a fight on April 29th.
There was also hints that the finances involved would prove too difficult to either team to shake hands on, but then it became clear that for this fight, The Cat would be willing to accept Fury's request of a 70/30 split of earnings.
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The straw that broke the camel's back, it turns out, was the purse for a contractually-agreed rematch between the two boxers.
Fury - the WBC champ - allegedly wanted the same 70/30 split in his favour regardless of the first fight's result, however IBF/WBA/WBO champ Usyk was not prepared to give into these demands.
In the Ukrainian's eyes, he sees it that if he enters the rematch as undisputed heavyweight champion with four titles, why would he be the one to take home a lower percentage? It may seem reasonable, but financial demands have been an ongoing issue, and is ultimately why Usyk's side have finally walked away.
Can the fight be salvaged?
Although the chances are extremely slim at this point in time, a late revival of negotiations would still be on the cards given the official deadline to reach an agreement is over a week away on April 1st 2023.
This whole process echoes the ghosts of the anticipated Fury vs Joshua last year, and whilst this is the case, spokespersons from Usyk's side have recently cast their doubts.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, his promoter Alexander Krassyuk said: "I would love to see this fight. I would love to make it happen as the promoter. Usyk would love to be part of such a huge fight, we all are willing, we are thirsty to make it happen.
Of course we are going to use each and every effort, if there is any. But from my perspective I don't believe it's possible."
His manager, Egis Klimas, added criticism of Fury's efforts throughout negotiations. "The Usyk side pulled out of further negotiations as the Fury side never had enough [and wanted] to pull everything and all rights to their side," he also told Sky.
"I don't want to go into details as all negotiations were confidential but I will tell you one thing, when a fighter doesn't want to fight he overprices himself knowing that the fight won't happen.
"They most likely forgot that Usyk is holding the majority of belts in the heavyweight division and Tyson just has one.
"They claimed Tyson is a face and must have all the rights, but look at statistics on pay-per-view with Tyson v Chisora and Usyk v Chisora and then tell me who is who?"
For those still optimistic despite everything above, there is one certainty to be aware of. If that deadline date passes next week and nothing is set in stone, Usyk's hand will be forced and he would have to face mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois next instead.
Who could Tyson Fury fight next?
This is highly unknown at this stage, but there have been a number of names throw their hat into the ring. Some more than others would be welcomed with open arms by boxing fans.
The Gypsy King last fought in October, of course, and therefore has a 12-month window to fulfil his mandatory fight to keep hold of his WBC belt. The organisation's top-rated challenger at the moment would likely be Deontay Wilder, setting up a fourth meeting between the pair.
In addition, Andy Ruiz Jr. has been mentioned as a potential opponent, and Joe Joyce laid down a gauntlet to Fury after his last fight. The latter would be an exciting all-British prospect, though would have to take place later this year as The Juggernaut has matters with Zhilei Zhang to attend to next month.
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