Anthony Joshua is reportedly close to accepting a big-money step-aside offer to pave the way for Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk to fight for the undisputed heavyweight title
Anthony Joshua is set to accept a £15million step-aside fee to pave the way for Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury.
Joshua lost his heavyweight world titles at the hands of Usyk last year whilst Fury defeated Deontay Wilder to defend his WBC crown.
The pair will now look to face off for the undisputed heavyweight title bout, which is likely to place in the Middle East. Cardiff’s Principality Stadium has also been reserved for March 26.
Joshua had planned to activate his rematch clause with Usyk – but The Telegraph report that he is close to accepting a big-money offer to put that on hold.
A weekend of talks are said to have reportedly delivered a breakthrough in a deal that would almost certainly see Joshua fight the winner.
Purse bids for Fury to face his mandatory challenger, Dillian Whyte, have been delayed three times.
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But Whyte is also set to be offered big-money to step aside and will demand £5million.
Speaking this week Frank Warren, one of Fury’s promoters, said: “It’s a saga but if we can keep things between us, we can get something over the line one way or another.
“Everybody in boxing wants to see the undisputed fight between Tyson and Usyk, I want to see it just as a fan. So that is the fight we are trying to make.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn recently said that whilst they are still working on an Usyk rematch, a considerable step-aside fee would make them consider stepping aside.
“We are all still moving toward Joshua vs Usyk and Fury vs Whyte but there are still people who would like to see Fury vs Usyk for the undisputed and would be willing to pay a lot of money for it,” Hearn told Boxing Social .
Who would win between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk? Have your say in the comments section.
“If there is a lot of money in the pot and there can be a plan put in place to make all the fighters happy then there is a chance it can happen, but the problem is time.
“Talks were ongoing for Fury to fight Usyk and AJ to fight the winner but then Dillian Whyte got called as mandatory and had to come into the talks, which made it a lot harder and everyone gave up.
“The plan now is AJ vs Usyk and Fury vs Whyte but those other talks do still rumble on, if I had to bet on the next fights that take place, it would be the two scheduled fights taking place.
“But there is a strong desire to find a way to have an undisputed fight with AJ fighting the winner – and without Dillian I think this would have happened.”
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