Tyson Fury sets deadline for Oleksandr Usyk fight deal: ‘If not, thanks very much but I’m retired’

Tyson Fury has set a deadline of one week for an offer to fight Oleksandr Usyk to be agreed – insisting he will stay retired if suitors ‘do not come up with the money’.

Usyk defended his IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles with a split decision win over Anthony Joshua on Saturday, paving the way for a unification showdown against WBC champion Fury.

Saudi Arabia has emerged as a front runner to host the fight with reports this week suggesting the bout could take place on 17 December – the day before the World Cup final in neighbouring Qatar.

With other bidders in the equation, Fury wants a site deal sorted in the next seven days, threatening to pull the plug unless something is finalised.

‘To all these suitors out there who want to make the fight, I’m going to give you all seven days, until 1 September, to come up with the money,’ Fury said in a short clip shared on social media on Wednesday morning.

‘If not, thanks very much, it’s been a blast but I’m retired.’

Fury added ‘all offers must be delivered ‘in writing with proof funds,’ to his lawyer before that deadline.

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Fury has previously demanded a £500million for the unification fight which would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis.

Fury’s promoter Frank Warren revealed on Tuesday he anticipates no ‘problem’ in agreeing a deal with Usyk and his promoters with several sites making approaches to host the fight before the end of the year.

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