11 September 2023 , 17:35
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Tyson Fury's own promoter Bob Arum has admitted that the world heavyweight champion must "stop screwing around" and fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed title next.
The lineal world heavyweight champion will face his MMA equivalent Francis Ngannou in Riyadh next month, with the pair both set to pocket astronomical eight-figure purses for the bout. But boxing purists are concerned that it offers a further delay to an undisputed title bout between Fury and Usyk, who hold all four belts between them.
In terms of actual belts, Fury is the WBC champion and has yet to have a mandatory named since his win in April of last year against Dillian Whyte. Meanwhile, Usyk is the WBA, WBO and IBF champion and after defeating his WBA mandatory Daniel Dubois is already about to be ordered to defend against the IBF's Filip Hrgovic.
Speaking with BaseDaKid, Arum explained that after the Ngannou bout, for which he is a huge favourite, Fury must get serious, saying: “For me, no more screwing around – let’s fight an undisputed fight against Usyk, and see who is the best heavyweight out there.”
Fury has appeared unfazed by talks of a potential fight with Usyk for a while, with the pair's April bout breaking down over finances. Instead, the Ukrainian headed to Poland for as close to a homecoming fight as is possible against Dubois, where he earned just under £5million as he won by ninth round stoppage after a controversial low blow from his rival in the fifth saw him floored.
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Both Ngannou and Fury are expected to make many multiples of that purse for their Saudi Arabian showdown on October 28, with the Brit telling Sky Sports: "If Usyk is a good little boy, he might be an option but if he isn't, he will just be another foreign middleweight that stays out in the cold.
"I will beat him, and I won't even look for a body shot either. I will knock him out with a chin shot if that fight ever happens. If he is a good little boy and takes a small percentage of the superstar's money then he will get a fight. If he wants big bucks. If he wants a seat at the king's table then you've got to play ball with the master."