Anthony Joshua refuses to sign a contract sent by Tyson Fury in its current form for a British showdown on December 3rd.
AJ received the paperwork after agreeing to initial terms last week. However, promoter Eddie Hearn says they are not happy.
Despite Fury offering contracts to Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte that both signed recently, one of which Hearn was involved in, this time, something is putting the breaks o a signature.
Anthony Joshua refuses to sign Tyson Fury contract
Hearn explained to IFL TV: “We’ve all agreed to work hard on the contracts. Listen, we got the contract last Friday or Saturday. But it was all over the place.
“Since then, we’ve had calls as recent as yesterday getting it in the right place.”
Fury called for Joshua to sign the deal publicly on Friday. The “Gypsy King” labeled Joshua “a sausage” for not putting pen to paper.
However, the Matchroom Boxing promoter is questioning Fury’s actions.
“Just by his message, I don’t know. I think they want us to run out of time a little bit. But we’re not going to sign a contract that isn’t in its correct format and isn’t in the best interest of Anthony Joshua.”
TV hold up
On what the hold up is, it was then revealed the Pay Per View TV deal for the clash of the two best UK heavyweights was a problem.
“That’s not for people to say, “what are they asking for too much” as the terms are agreed. We agreed to those terms.
“But now we have to go into a position of negotiating with broadcasters.”
Hearn is not confident of a deal. He believes WBC champion Fury will now defend his title against Mahmoud Charr, as World Boxing News stated earlier in the day.
“Honestly, hand on heart, what I think Tyson Fury is going to do is he’ll say, ‘oh, this is taking too long.’ The fight’s on December 3rd.”
Despite just ten weeks left until fight night, Hearn is acting on behalf of Anthony Joshua’s interests. He believes the clock isn’t ticking on contract finalization.
“The fight, by the way, can sell itself in twenty-four hours. We’re under no time constraints like it has to be done today or tomorrow.
“It has got to be right. We want the fight. AJ’s in camp for that fight. I just, when I see things like that [Tyson Fury sausage video], I liked it when everybody was quiet because I thought they actually wanted the fight.
“Then he comes out today [with the sausage video]. I don’t know. We’re still moving forward, hoping that fight gets done.
Fury vs Charr
“My gut feeling is Tyson Fury is getting ready to fight Mahmoud Charr, and this whole thing is just [a smokescreen], but I hope I’m wrong.”
On potentially working out the TV sticking point, Hearn concluded: “The way that I read it is that Matchroom and Queensberry are doing their best to try and make this fight.
“It is complicated. DAZN and BT still have to get into it. And that’s coming or starting.”
The hope was that Fury vs Joshua would occur at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. Fury’s team sent a 60-40 offer to Joshua’s management company around the time of the Queen’s passing.
Despite WBA, WBO, and IBF ruler Oleksandr Usyk offering to put forward his return to the ring and fight at the end of the year, Fury has shown no interest whatsoever in opening talks over a prospective undisputed clash.
Usyk had initially wanted to take time off after beating Joshua in a rematch last month in Saudi Arabia.
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren went straight for two-time world champion Joshua. However, Charr has constantly been circling in the background and telling Fury he was going to get beaten on the held date.
Whether Tyson Fury’s fight offer for Dec 3 extends to Charr out of the public eye remains to be seen.
Disappointed UK fans
Right now, the fans want Fury to face his fellow Brit rival. Having two bouts hanging on a thread does nobody any favors.
Seventy days is not a good preparation time for such a significant UK PPV encounter, though. Therefore, all the signs point to Fury vs Charr.
Fury and his team will require a WBC special sanction. Charr only entered the WBC Ratings at 19 this month despite not fighting since May.
Maybe it was a clerical error, and Charr might move into the top fifteen in time to face Fury later this year.
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