Deontay Wilder has criticised his former rival Tyson Fury for demanding £500million to fight Oleksandr Usyk.
Heavyweight champion Fury, 34, insisted he was retired from boxing after defending his WBC title against Dillian Whyte in April, but is now welcoming fights with Usyk and domestic rival Anthony Joshua. Usyk called out Fury for an undisputed clash after he beat Joshua in their rematch last month, with Fury responding by demanding £500m.
"This fight is purely about money. I’m happily retired," Fury said, "It’s the biggest fight in the world so it needs to be the biggest pay day in the world. [Floyd] Mayweather got £400million to fight [Manny] Pacquiao, I want £500m." The extortionate demand came as a surprise to many given Fury had previously offered to fight Joshua for free, also insisting throughout his accomplished career that he doesn't fight for money.
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Wilder, who was knocked out by Fury in their second and third fights, thinks the Brit is asking for too much money to face Usyk. 'The Bronze Bomber' makes his return to the ring for the first time since losing to Fury as he fights former sparring partner Robert Helenius on October 15. Wilder spoke with reporters about Fury's demand whilst ringside for Andy Ruiz Jr's win against Luis Ortiz this past weekend.
"If he overprices himself, they know where to find me. £500m is definitely pricing himself out. I’m here, Deontay Wilder ’s back. I’m here to make the division back strong and exciting again. I’m here for all the smoke, but we’ll see what happens. Boxing is a business. It’s strictly a business and you’ve got to treat it accordingly. We’ll see how the business has to be handled for that fight to happen.”
Fury earned almost £25m for his knockout win against Whyte, a career-high for 'The Gypsy King'. He cited Saudi Arabia's huge offers to athletes such as Tiger Woods as proof they could come up with the funds for his £500m demand. Fury thinks he can finish Usyk inside six rounds, with his trainer SugarHill Steward predicting an even earlier stoppage.
"Me and SugarHill Steward both are convinced that if it goes six rounds, that's a s*** performance," Fury told SecondsOut. "I'll cut him down inside six, for sure. Sugar reckons I'll cut him down inside four. So, we've actually got a bet on, which one gets done first. He's running scared in my opinion should he decide to step in the ring he will be annihilated."
