Boxing: Oleksandr Usyk wants 70-30 split in rematch with Tyson Fury
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are trying to reach a deal for their April 29th fight and contract language for a potential rematch.
IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) wants a 70-30 split for the rematch should he defeat WBC champ Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) on April 29, a fight in which Oleksandr is agreeing to take the smaller money with a 70-30 split.
Not surprisingly, Usyk is asking for a reverse of that split in his favor for the rematch, as he would be the undisputed heavyweight champion with four titles, defending them against the defeated, belt-less Fury.
While Fury’s fans think it’s perfectly reasonable that he should continue to get the lion’s share or, at the minimum, the 50-50 split that he’s insisting on, it would make a joke of being a champion. How do you ask for a 50-50 deal when you were beaten and have zero titles?
If Fury is coming off a loss and no longer has his lone WBC strap, he would hardly deserve a 50-50 split or even at 60-40 for a rematch against IBF, WBA, WBC & WBO undisputed champion Usyk.
If the Usyk-Fury rematch takes place in Saudi Arabia, where there’s more money, then the two fighters would negotiate their own deal.
Hopefully, Fury doesn’t overprice himself again like he reportedly did this time around for the April 29th fight after Usyk had already negotiated his side of the deal with the Saudis.
It would be a trainwreck if Fury bungles his side of the deal to stage the rematch in Saudi Arabia, forcing the fight to come back to the UK, where there would be less money.
“Usyk’s side pushed for the same 70-30 split, but in his favor, for a return bout in the United Kingdom should he defeat Fury,” said Mike Coppinger to ESPN about the continued negotiations, which are currently stalled between the two champions over the rematch split.
“Fury asked for a 50-50 split in the U.K., where he’s a major star if he suffered his first professional defeat.”
It’s going to be interesting to see if Fury and Usyk can overcome this latest impasse in the negotiations to salvage their April 29th fight.
If it doesn’t happen, it would be the second huge clash in less than a year that Fury has fumbled and a clear sign that he’s not capable of negotiating with quality opposition.
