Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk failure ‘extraordinarily disappointing’ says WBC: ‘Window of opportunity won’t be there in a long time’ | Boxing News

The collapse of negotiations over an undisputed heavyweight battle between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has drawn consternation from throughout the boxing world.

Instead of finalising plans for a stadium battle on the finish of April, the Fury-Usyk talks fell aside earlier than the final factors of a deal might be agreed.

The heavyweight division hasn’t had an undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999-2000.

Fury versus Usyk might have been a particular second, given how uncommon it’s for any battle to unify all 4 of the key world titles.

Fury is the WBC heavyweight champion and final April beat obligatory challenger Dillian Whyte earlier than defeating Derek Chisora in December.

Usyk gained the WBA, WBO and IBF belts in 2021 and defended them in his August rematch with Anthony Joshua, however will quickly have his personal obligatory challengers to take care of.

As far as an undisputed bout is anxious, the WBC fears that “this window of opportunity will not be there in a long time”.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman informed Sky Sports that the failure to make the Fury vs Usyk battle was “extremely disappointing”.

“The WBC has been extremely supportive of the ultimate unification fight between Fury and Usyk to determine the undisputed champion in the heavyweight division,” Sulaiman informed Sky Sports.

“It is extremely disappointing that such a match will not take place as this window of opportunity will not be there in a long time, it will be difficult to have everything aligned as there are mandatories for each organisation.”

Fury is now searching for a new opponent for his subsequent battle. The WBC’s subsequent high two ranked heavyweight contenders are former champions Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz.

Wilder and Ruiz haven’t but conform to battle each other however the WBC has beforehand known as for them to field in a remaining eliminator for the heavyweight title.

“The WBC convention ruled that a final elimination would take place between Wilder and Ruiz to determine the mandatory contender of the division,” Sulaiman mentioned.

“The WBC had been waiting for the confirmation of the unification fight so we will now review the following steps to be taken.”

Could Fury nonetheless battle Usyk?

Kalle Sauerland has been observing the progress of the Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk negotiations.

Wasserman promoter Sauerland represents Filip Hrgovic, who will be the obligatory challenger for the IBF heavyweight title ultimately.

Sauerland although nonetheless believes that whereas Fury vs Usyk won’t be occurring subsequent month, it might nonetheless happen later this 12 months.

“I’ve just got this feeling that it might still get done but okay, it appears no. But they seem to be arguing over a very, very small point in the contract if it’s just the split on the rematch,” Sauerland informed Sky Sports. “Maybe they nonetheless get it finished.

“It’s unfortunate but I still think we’ll see that fight one day.”

He defined: “The 70/30 [purse split in Fury’s favour], I get it. The way old school fights got made was: ‘You’re from the UK, you keep the UK TV. You’re from Ukraine, you keep Ukrainian TV. The rest of it we’ll split and we’ll split the gate.’ If I figure it out like that, it ends up at 70/30. That’s not changed over the years.

“They accepted 70/30 [for a first fight] so it is not a knock on Team Usyk, they’re nice guys.

“The sport lives off the big fights being made. Generally they get made,” he added.

“It’s not a good look. At the same time boxing does deliver those big fights. Half the drama in boxing is them not getting made, then getting made.

“That’s half of the construct up. It’s nothing new… typically they do get made. I nonetheless assume if it does not get made now, it can get made later this 12 months.

“Also, I’ll put my big mouth on here again, I think Fury against [Anthony] Joshua gets made before they retire.”