Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk payouts: Looking at reported purse split for upcoming undisputed heavyweight clash
The Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight is set to crown boxing's first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis last held it in April 2000. Fury possesses the WBC heavyweight title and is regarded as the lineal heavyweight champion. Usyk holds the WBA (Super), WBO, IBF, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles.
Their fight's winner would become the undisputed heavyweight champion and receive all the aforementioned titles. Given the event's magnitude, the consensus is that the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk payouts are likely to be greater than those of most other boxing/combat sports matches.
As suggested in a report by The Independent, the Fury-Usyk fight would witness a 70-30 purse split from a total purse of around $150 million (£116 million).
Moreover, the report implied that though Usyk agreed to the purse split favoring Fury. He did so on the condition that 'The Gypsy King' would donate £1 million (i.e., over $1 million) of his purse to Ukraine to help his (Usyk's) native country in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
According to GiveMeSport, estimates based on the 70-30 split and figures mentioned in The Independent's report, the UK's Fury could make $105 million and Ukraine's Usyk could bag $45 million.
In 2023, Fury's US promoter, Bob Arum, notably claimed that 'The Gypsy King' was set to make considerably more than $100 million for his fights against Francis Ngannou (Oct. 2023) and his clash against Usyk (currently scheduled for May 2024).
The exact payouts for the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight haven't been officially revealed yet. Nevertheless, Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk (of K2 Promotions) spoke to Sky Sports in 2023 and alluded to a 70-30 split.
Usyk and his team were initially seeking a 50-50 split for their long-awaited undisputed clash, given that both he and Fury were heavyweight champions. However, with Fury adamant about a 70-30 split, Usyk and his camp reportedly agreed.
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk: Boxers to be fined if they withdraw from their undisputed heavyweight clash
The fight was initially booked for Feb. 17, 2024. Regardless, Fury suffered a cut around his eye in training earlier this year, which is why the fight was postponed. Presently, the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk undisputed heavyweight title showdown is booked to transpire in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 18, 2024.
In a special edition of The MMA Hour in February 2024, his Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the boxing promoter at the helm of affairs for the high-stakes matchup, addressed Fury's pull-out and more.
The GEA (General Entertainment Authority) Chairman underscored the significance of the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight and vouched for Fury, noting that the cut he suffered was legitimate.
He reassured fans that if Fury or Usyk pull out from their rescheduled fight date (May 18), the withdrawing fighter will have to pay a fine of $10 million from their own money.
The Saudi adviser also warned that the fighter would be replaced by another athlete in the title match. Alalshikh said:
"I am guarantee for the both of the fighters -- 10 millions if someone escape from the fight ... 10 million not from us. We guarantee it. 10 million from their own money."
Check out Alalshikh's comments on the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk bout below (5:53 and 8:37):