Top Rank’s CEO Bob Arum, who co-promotes WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, remains optimistic that his boxer is going to fight the unified champion Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship in the early months of 2023.
Fury’s handlers were recently in talks for a year-end clash with former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua – but those discussions fell apart.
Things were shaky for the last few weeks, with Fury making several deadline threats to get the deal done in a quicker manner. Arum has been firm in his position that Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, “killed the fight” by taking too much time in getting a deal done.
“Tyson Fury is Tyson Fury. He hasn’t been trained in law school so he wants a fight, if he’s imposing deadlines which aren’t really deadlines because he’s sending a message, get off your asses and get this thing done,” Arum told Sky Sports.
“It was clear that was the case. So, nobody should be blamed for this fight not happening, not Tyson, not AJ, not anybody else other than Eddie Hearn.”
Arum is very good friends with Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas. Top Rank promotes several of Klimas’ other clients like Vasiliy Lomachenko and Janibek Alimkhanuly.
Usyk is coming off back to back decision wins over Joshua. He intends to return to the ring in the early months of the upcoming new year.
Arum feels confident in his ability to a deal done for Fury-Usyk.
“Absolutely. I keep in contact on virtually a daily basis with Egis Klimas, the manager of Usyk, because he’s also the manager of fighters that we promote,” said Arum.
“So, I always take a reading on this and Klimas said that in his discussion with potential sites, it would be the last week in February or the first week in March which would suit us all.”
