'Anthony Joshua asked for an extra $5 million'- Frank Warren discusses the collapse of step-aside deal for Fury vs. Usyk
Frank Warren has revealed Anthony Joshua's demand for an extra $5 million led to the collapse of the step-aside deal for Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk to take place.
Anthony Joshua activated his rematch clause after his loss to Oleksandr Usyk last year, while Tyson Fury was ordered to fight Dillian Whyte by the WBC. However, there was talk of a mega-fight between Usyk and Fury.
To make that fight happen, both Joshua and Whyte were offered step-aside deals that would allow Fury to fight Usyk first. However, the deal collapsed at the last moment after 'AJ' demanded more money.
According to boxing promoter Frank Warren, who recently won the purse bid for the Fury vs. Whyte fight, Joshua priced himself out of the step-aside deal. During a recent interview with TalkSPORT, Warren revealed:
"When Joshua asked for an extra $5 million, he [Tyson Fury] said 'enough is enough,' and that was it. He said, 'I'm not interested, he's too greedy'. And that was enough. He's a champion, Tyson's not beholden to Anthony Joshua. Him and Usyk wanted to get it on, both of them wanted to get it on. But you had two people [Joshua and Whyte] in the middle, one was suing the WBC and the other one was asking for more and more money."
Anthony Joshua vs. Oleksandr Usyk is being targetted for May 2022
Anthony Joshua suffered an upset defeat to Oleksandr Usyk back in September 2021 and has been eyeing revenge since. As things have started to take shape in the heavyweight division, we can certainly expect the two to cross paths again later this year.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has given an expected timeline for the highly anticipated rematch. During an interview with iFL TV, Hearn revealed:
"AJ [vs.Usyk] I think will be a little bit later, I think that will be in May."
Watch Eddie Hearn's interview with iFL TV below:
With Joshua vs. Usyk being planned for May 2022, it will be interesting to see whether 'AJ' can overcome his previous defeat to the Ukrainian or whether Usyk gets his hand raised again.