Fury and Arum Holding Up Fury-Usyk, They Don't Think Usyk Deserves 50%

But it has nothing to do with money. Queensberry knows they were offered the best possible amount there is to take for this fight. Fury simply doesn't want to face Usyk. No matter what Usyk does or says, Fury will not face him. He already ducked him last year to fight Whyte instead. Fury wants to get out of this one without fighting Usyk, and he wants to do it in a way so he can spin the narrative for his gullible stans that it was Usyk who bottled it. That's why he simply couldn't say "screw you, I'm not taking this fight". His public image is a vital element for his brand which equals his market value. So he priced himself out with the Saudis, and he keeps messing around with the date and the split - the is on his side because not only is Usyk older but Fury has just "defended" his title against Chisora (lol) so WBC will not order him to defend his title for at least another year or so. It was all calculated by Fury, just to avoid the toughest challenge of his professional fight, without losing face. He wants to get to the Ngannou-type shenanigans, but in order to do that with his brand intact, he has to duck Usyk in a way that he can try to somehow put the blame on Usyk.

This is not just a mere theory - we have the track records of both fighters. It's like case law if you will.

Usyk, before this whole saga started:
- always signed quickly and easily - multiple sources confirmed this
- money or other details were never an issue with him - multiple sources confirmed this
- there were never public callouts from Team Usyk, stating the opponent is ducking them
- he signed with the Saudis weeks ago and was ready to go

Fury, before this whole saga started:
- has a long history of messing about contracts
- has a long history of ducking fighters from Ustinov to Price to still unbeaten Whyte and still unbeaten Joshua as well as Usyk last year
- has a long history of making contradictory statements hence confusing promoters and fellow fighters
- has a long history of talking shite about other fighters and their teams along with his family members

And now, for the first time in Usyk's career, there are delays, there is controversy, there is unclear and unconfirmed information about the venue, the date, the money, the reasons for the delay etc. Do you think it's a coincidence that Usyk, who is 36 and has been a professional for a decade, gets involved in a mess like that for the first time ever when the other party is Fury?

 

I don't think Fury would sign even if Usyk accepted 40%. At the very least, 2023 will be interesting as a Brit to see whether Fury's popularity tanks or keeps going. I've got to laugh at the irony if AJ resurrects his career in a bizarre parody of Fury doing so in 2018. Truly, history is a circle

 

I wonder whats wrong with Germany, K2 Often staged large events there with Klitschko.
Since some say Usyk is such a super draw, he should have no problems bringing Fury to Dusseldorf like Wlad did.

Unless ofcourse, Usyk isnt the draw AJ fans say he is, and Krassyuk is right about Fury being the big tickets seller. Then it makes complete sense why Fury and the Saudis chasing Oleksadnr, and not the other way around.

For all his skill and tremendous accomplishments, Usyk hasnt been able to draw a good enough fan base, so the 50% he's holding out for is truly bizarre considering the financially driven boxing world we live in.

If Saturday comes and Usyk walks away, despite all of Usyks intentions and previous record, the duck will be hard to defend.

 

Come on Fury. Sign it. We are going to be missing out on an ATG fight.

 

Its Usyk holding out buddy, see Krassyuk. He's told us everything we all needed to know. Its 50% for Usyk, or he waddles away.

 

I am not sure if Fury will even agree to 40% for Usyk.

 

I don't want to discuss over what we discuss in like at least one new "Fury-Usyk" topic every week (apart from one "Fury" per week), the point is - regardless one likes or dislikes Fury, what is it: Fury avoids Usyk or Fury is greedy? As it seems it's not both even if he, let's say truly avoids Usyk and is greedy, the money doesn't seem to be the reason in this case. And if he intends not to fight him - fine, it's for him. He still has the AJ and Joyce option or shame himself. Usyk can try Joyce or Ruiz and retire, as his heavyweight legacy is nothing, but him, being ATG is valid because of his cruiser career.

By the way, Fury not wanting Whyte isn't valid, he was right not to be rushing for this clown or give him the amount of money Whyte wanted - he knocked him out without even sweating. (I'd argue that saying Fury was afraid of Ustinov who got badly beaten by Pulev isn't serious.)

For what I am underlining in your quote: Usyk has the chance to trap Fury and say "ok belly, I am giving you 60:40" - this will really put Fury in the corner, yes? Why not doing it, I am serious, it'll be nice to do and we'll see how Fury will manage.

 

If that was the case, I wouldnt be impressed either. 40% for Usyk is fair to me, I could squeeze 45 just to get it over the line. But if Fury wants more, I'd shake my head. Just like I do over Olesksandr at the minute.

 

Apparently, Usyk was offered 30% which is an insult. To me, it boggles the mind that many Fury fans actually believe Usyk is greedy for not agreeing to such ridiculous terms while being the unified HW champion of the world. Absolute madness.

 

Tricky actually, he's offered 30% if he loses the fight. I agree this is low, but on the other hand, many if not most, believe he'll win in which case is promised 40% (John Fury's words, let's assume this is really the offer). Usyk took 40 against Chisora however, took 50:50 being the champ in his second Joshua fight. I am not sure, but in their first Usyk took like 30% indeed.

I know all of this might sound like advocating Fury - no, I don't. I'm really bored of him not fighting top ones. The Wilder trilogy was good, deserved to be a trilogy. He fought Whyte, relatively a top one - good, but now what? Chisora III was a shame and everything different than Usyk, AJ, Joyce or Ruiz will be so.

 

In the interview you speak of, I'm sure you also heard Krassyuk talk about their promotional successes with Usyk, from breaking records in Kiev to travelling the world and recent successes in both London and Saudi Arabia. How he understands that while Usyk has a lot of UK fans that it's obvious Fury will have the crowd behind him with the fight being in the UK instead of Saudi. His main message was that this is a global event. So if Fury is expecting home advantage for undisputed, then he pays 50-50 for that advantage (fair enough given Fury didn't accept the Saudi offer).

Seemingly that is something that 75% of voters in this thread's poll agree with. Fury is going to look bad if they can't get this fight over the line. For obvious reasons.

 

He's been offered 40%, John Furys idea was the 30% if he loses, but thats not how it is... As John said, "Being the great champion Tyson is, it would have to be 60/40"

60/40 and Usyk is still going to duck. Dispbicable.

 

Kudos for your words of reason.

I think Usyk took the lower percentages so far because what Krassyuk has said about him is true: he is interested in legacy first and accepting lower percentages meant he could progress in his career, not getting into back and forth with contracts. He wants to be paid too, of course, but the way Krassyuk put it: Usyk believes in the principle of "do not chase money because if you perform well in the ring, money will follow". I'm quite sure most fighters would have already got into contract controversies over the split against Chisora or AJ. Usyk's goal has always been to become undisputed in HW too and I think he saw arguing over percentages as roadblocks that waste time.

But now, it's different for two reasons. First, this is the last stop in his historical journey. This is for the undisputed HW title, going into battle as the unified HW champion of the world. That's a whole different status, the stakes are on a whole new level. The second reason is: he was already happy with the Saudi deal, which he accepted and signed. And now he is being dragged out of that deal and put to a serious disadvantage by the new location being Fury's backyard. To me, it seems that it's about principle for Usyk. Not necessarily about the amount of money but the idea of "you don't push me around - you don't want the Saudi deal, you make me fight in London, fine - but then whatever we'll make, I want half, it's only fair".

That said, my last hope for this fight is that Usyk calls Fury's bluff and says "you know what, fine - take whatever percentage you want, but I want a rematch clause" - and in case he wins, he could have the leverage to negotiate about the purse for the rematch. I firmly believe that no matter what he says, Fury will duck him, but I'd still have this last bit of hope that he calls Fury's bluff by agreeing to the terms in the end. I totally understand where he comes from with this idea of not wanting to give in about the 50/50 split, and he is totally justified to think so. I won't hold it against him if he doesn't, but I still hope he will call Fury's bluff in the end.

 

You mean like AJ did to Usyk, come on Finkel, Give me a break. You know thats not how buisness works.
If Usyk has so many fans, wheres his offer to Fury?? There is none! Because Usyk needs Fury more than Fury needs Usyk when it comes to the money. And sadly for us all, that is what it will boil down too, not the belts, the fans or undisputed. Just money. Best thing is, both fighters have openly lied about it not being about "the money" but now here we are!

 

Usyk ducking, lol.