Tyson Fury: ‘Joshua wanted me to clean up his dirty washing [Usyk]’

By Scott Gilfoid: Tyson Fury says Anthony Joshua wanted a massive step aside so that he could clean up his dirty laundry by taking care of Oleksandr Usyk for him.

Fury found it odd that Joshua was asking for so much money for the step aside to avoid a fighter that he wants no part of in IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Usyk.

Ultimately, the deal blew up in Joshua’s face, with Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) ultimately choosing to walk away and defend against his mandatory Dillian Whyte.

Joshua is now stuck with having to fight Usyk again, and his career is likely to end with that fight. Fury is predicting Joshua will get beaten again by Usyk, and that’ll be that.

“He has lost two fights and when he fights Oleksandr Usyk again, he will lose a third fight, and then he is finished and done for,” said Fury to iFL TV.

Fury says 15 million wasn’t enough for Joshua

“Joshua wanted more money. 15 million wasn’t enough, so obviously, the fight didn’t happen,” said Fury to iFL TV on Joshua asking for too much money for his step aside.

“I thought that was very fair considering Dillian Whyte made 250 grand in his last fight and I made 30 million, so pretty fair,” said Fury when asked if he felt the 80/20 split the WBC gave him for the Whyte fight was a fair split.

“I heard it was really close. We were ready to sign and do our thing and everything to make the [Oleksandr Usyk] fight happen, but it was a load of crap,” said Fury when asked how close they were to getting the step aside deal done.

“They were making so many demands, this and that. Whyte wanted his bits and pieces. Joshua wanted his things. The positive thing is I get to do my fight on April 23rd. I originally wanted to fight March 26hh.

“I’m at the top of the tree. I don’t wait for other people to decide what to do with my career. I fight on my times and my dates. When they become heavyweight world champions and they can determine when they’ll fight, it’s my career and I would like to fight two or three times this year.

“In order to do that, I’ve got to stay busy. It’s not my fault that they can’t fight. With Usyk, he couldn’t be ready until the end of May. Dillian Whyte is mandatory, and he has to have his fight. We’re looking to do that as well,” Fury said.

Fury reacts to Joshua wanting 20 million step aside

“It kind of broke the camel’s back,” Fury said about Joshua wanting 20 million. “Here’s the thing. If he doesn’t want to fight Oleksandr Usyk, and he doesn’t and doesn’t want to go get his revenge and his rematch, why didn’t he walk away from that position, give Dillian Whyte his five million dollars that he was going to get anyway to step aside and why didn’t Joshua fight me for the WBC belt?

“He wanted a bit of free money and it wasn’t available, so there you have it,” Fury said about Joshua. “He wanted me to clean up his dirty washing for him. Didn’t you, big boy?

“But I’m a bit too smart for that, so I’m not going to clean up anybody’s dirty washing up. Deal with your own business. I’d fight Usyk seven days a week in his backyard. I’d fight Usyk and Joshua on the same night.

“As for me avoiding somebody, I just fought Deontay Wilder three times. You think I’m bothered about some middleweight or bodybuilder?” said Fury.

Lunch with the boys 🍽 @Tyson_Fury @BobArum pic.twitter.com/UOYZixK3Sl

— Frank Warren (@frankwarren_tv) February 11, 2022