TYSON FURY slammed ‘joke’ Deontay Wilder for demanding £14million to step aside and threatened to ‘crack his skull again’.
Fury could be set to face Wilder for a third time after a US judge ruled in favour of the American in arbitration.
Only paying the former WBC champion compensation money could keep his super-fight with Anthony Joshua alive.
But in an Instagram post, Fury took aim at his heavyweight rival for his step aside demands and seemingly accepted the possibility of a trilogy bout.
He wrote: “What a joke @bronzebomber has become asked for 20 million to move over #joker looks like I have to crack his skull again!”
Fury, 32, dethroned Wilder, 35, of the WBC belt in February 2020 but their contract included an immediate rematch.
That never came to fruition amid the coronavirus pandemic and the Gypsy King’s team argued the stipulation expired in October.
As a result, they entered talks with Joshua, 31, all while Wilder took his case to civil court and returned to training with new Malik Scott.
And after months the decision went his way, meaning Fury is faced with fighting him for a third time, after their first ended in a draw.
To salvage the historic undisputed title decider, paying Wilder a compensation fee emerged as an option.
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But his new trainer Scott, who he beat in 2014, threw out that idea, as he all-but confirmed the heavyweight is prioritising revenge over a payday.
Scott, 40, posted: “Wilder declined and had no interest in step-aside money. Y’all dealing with a whole different type motherf***a over here.
“He want the blood, not that step-aside money. ‘Retribution is upon us’.”
Fury’s promoter Bob Arum also told ESPN: “We’re not paying Wilder to step aside.
“It’s better to get rid of him. We can make Fury vs AJ for November or December.”
The veteran promoter revealed he has reserved the new 65,000-seater Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for July 24 should Fury have to box Wilder again.
Joshua’s backer Eddie Hearn, a driving force in securing a deal for the all-British unification, hopes the historic clash can still be saved.
But he admitted it is out of his hands and is lining up a back-up option in Oleksandr Usyk, 34, who is currently AJ’s WBO mandatory challenger.
AJ and the Gypsy King were all-but ready to put every heavyweight belt on the line on August 14 in Saudi Arabia.
But according to The Athletic, talks are underway for Joshua to face Usyk instead on either August 21 or 28 should Fury chose to fight Wilder.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk