Warren exposes Usyk as promoter leaks emails after Fury collapse

Frank Warren has leaked the email that ended all hopes of the undisputed fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. The Queensbury Promotions chief says that Usyk’s side pulled the plug while in the middle of last-gasp negotiations.

Team Usyk decided to officially walk away from the deal on Monday afternoon following months of drawn-out discussions. Shortly after, Alexander Krassyuk came out and explained that Fury had caused the collapse by pricing himself out of the fight.

Fury demanded that he received a 70 per cent lion’s share of the prize pot for their first fight which was reluctantly accepted by Usyk on the understanding that the purse split would be reversed in the rematch if he won their inaugural encounter.

However, according to boxing insider Mike Coppinger, The Gypsy King refused to accept anything less than 50-50, leading Usyk’s side to walk away from the deal. Hopes were briefly raised on Wednesday when Krassyuk and Warren called into talkSPORT at the same time and teased that the fight could still be saved – but it wasn’t to be.

Speaking to IFL TV, Warren explained the events leading up to the breakdown. “As you know, talkSPORT Jim White and Simon Jordan show we were both on it,” he said. “He accepted Alex on there that he didn’t need 15 minutes to go through the problems.

“He accepted on Mother’s Day last Sunday when we had a call with four lawyers that there was only one outstanding point at that stage which was the rematch. On Monday I think they talked about terms the lawyers and then we got an email off Egis [Klimas].”

Warren then read out the email which was sent on Monday at 4.30pm UK time: “Gentlemen, I hope you are all okay. I’m not going to go into the details of blaming, or pointing fingers at anyone, but I would like to officially announce that Team Usyk is out of negotiations on the April 29 fight. You guys can put your pencils down for now. We’ll talk in the future.”

Usyk is now expected to face his WBA mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois with negotiations starting this weekend. It is presently unclear what Fury’s next steps are after the breakdown with Warren even suggesting that he may retire again.

It was originally understood that Fury would face a different opponent on April 29 at London’s Wembley Stadium if the Usyk fight was to fall through.