Wayne Alexander (Former European super-welterweight champion)
It looks to me like both parties are partly to blame. Fury made it difficult from the start, but got his own way with the 70-30 split and didn’t mention a rematch clause. Now I’m led to believe Usyk is saying that the fight will not go ahead unless a rematch clause is accepted. If Usyk really believes he can beat Tyson, there is no need for a rematch, and he shouldn’t have agreed on the final offer in the first place. They are both undefeated champions and the fight should have been a 50-50 split with no rematch clause at all, in my opinion. Only the fans will lose out at the end of the day.
Jordan Gill (Former European featherweight champion)
I think it’s clear that Fury is to blame. Usyk is a throwback fighter who goes to a champion’s back yard and beats them, no questions asked. I think Usyk called Tyson’s bluff accepting 30% and now Fury is looking for other excuses. Usually if two fighters want the fight, it happens.
Marcus Morrison (Middleweight contender)
This is a really tough one to call, because when you listen to both sides, they both come across as very convincing about wanting the fight and they accuse the other team of putting too many obstacles in the way. Yet here we are without the fight, so somebody’s not being truthful. I put it down to the split of the money. I completely agree that Tyson’s the A side, but at the same time, Usyk holds the belts, so I think a 60/40 split to Tyson would have been fair. Forget the rematch clause, the best fight the best, and both make a load of money in doing so. If only the boxing business was that simple.
Declan Warrington (Journalist)
Fury. Which he’ll know, because underneath it all he’s got integrity. But this isn’t him running scared — he’ll also know he’s got the beating of Usyk. When everything settles I suspect he’ll recognise how essential the fight is, and that that will get the ball rolling again.
