TYSON FURY’s eagerly-anticipated showdown with Oleksandr Usyk is still at risk of collapsing.
Negotiations over the historic undisputed heavyweight title fight resumed after Fury’s lopsided beatdown of Derek Chisora last December but have yet to bare fruit.
REUTERSTyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk looked set to throw down later this year[/caption]
REUTERSNegotiations have stalled due to a dispute over the purse split[/caption]
PAPromoter Frank Warren has revealed negotiations are still at a standstill[/caption]
And SunSport revealed last month that the fight was in jeopardy due to a squabble over the purse split.
Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassuyk jetted into London late last month to try and finalise the deal.
But Fury co-promoter Frank Warren told talkSPORT: “We’re still none the wiser.
“You need the agreement of both boxers to make it happen and at the moment we haven’t got that.”
Warren admits the purse split is a major sticking point over the first undisputed title fight in over a quarter of a century.
He said: “I have a pot and out of that pot I can only pay what’s in it.
“And if it’s not enough money the fight won’t happen, at the end of the day we’re running a business.”
But he insists he’s doing everything in his power to get the fight over the line, adding: “We’re working hard to make it happen.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
“And, with the greatest respect, I didn’t ring talkSPORT to do an interview about it, you rang me.
“So, out of courtesy I’m telling you where we are, but I’m not going to be conducting negotiations at the moment they’re confidential between the two parties.
“But, I would say it’s not going to go past the end of this week that’s for sure because the proposed date is April 29.”
He continued: “No one wants to see this fight more than me, no one has ever promoted the four belts, it’s never happened.
“So it’s history-making.
Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout
“I want it, but I can’t force people into a situation unless they’re comfortable.”
Former undisputed cruiserweight champ Usyk is desperate to throw down with Fury, telling Sky Sports: “I just need this fight and that’s it.
“I think he needs it to.
“This fight is very important for both of us because all belts haven’t been held by one person for 30 years in the heavyweight division.
“So both of us need this fight.”