Boxing
'Total chaos' - Bob Arum describes talks for Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk in Middle East
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Bob Arum has described the ‘total’ chaos that has led to talks about a Middle East fight for Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk.
Arum himself is not clear if the WBC champion will fight Usyk, Dilian Whyte or even another heavyweight contender next, having previously put forward Robert Helenius and Manuel Charr as potential candidates.
The WBC ordered Fury to fight Whyte in a mandatory defence but Whyte has objected to the 80/20 split, and purse bids are now delayed until Friday January 21.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Arum has explained that there are negotiations for Fury to skip his Whyte fight and instead meet Oleksandr Usyk, the current IBF, WBA and WBO champion - though Anthony Joshua would have to receive a hefty sum to step aside.
“It is total chaos,” Arum said.
“What’s happening is just promises coming out of the Middle East about doing a unified fight with Usyk and Fury, and is Dillian Whyte gonna step aside?
“And people that have absolutely no contractual ties – like Frank Warren’s Queensberry and our Top Rank do – are getting involved.
“It’s a typical terrible kind of situation, but hopefully it’ll get sorted out and probably it will get sorted out with a purse bid on Friday.”
Asked for clarity over Fury’s next fight, he said: “I have absolutely no idea.
“Who are these people in the Middle East? And what’s their backing and all of that stuff? That’s not clear.
“All I know is that the contract with Tyson Fury is with Frank Warren’s Queensberry and Top Rank.
“Nobody has talked to us about buying out rights or getting our permission to go ahead.”
