ANTHONY JOSHUA has ACCEPTED Tyson Fury’s offer for their blockbuster showdown and paved the way for the biggest fight in British boxing history.
Joshua was on the surprising end of a callout from Fury, who is not willing to wait around for an undisputed clash with Oleksandr Usyk next year.
AJ was offered a 40 per cent split of what would be a record-breaking UK purse to fight the Gypsy King.
A date in early November was initially put on the table but Joshua can only return by December at the earliest following last month’s points loss to Usyk.
Fury also wants to include a rematch clause and AJ’s team are happy to comply, as long as they get the lion’s share in return if they win.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed they are willing to take the deal on offer after talks with Frank Warren’s son George.
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He told iFL TV: “We just went back this morning and said, I spoke to AJ about that offer, we think, I think particularly he deserves more than 40 per cent.
“But, he’s happy. And I don’t make the decisions, he does. So I went back this morning and said, ‘We accept 60/40’.
“We want that reversed in the rematch, rightfully so because you’re champion here, you want the bigger split, which I think is fair.
“And we want to do the fight in December. Now interestingly, they have December 17th, Queensberry held at the Millennium, so that’s perfect.”
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Fury initially wanted to fight WBA, IBF and WBO champion Usyk, who beat Joshua twice in the space of 11 months.
It would have been the heavyweight division’s first four-belt undisputed title decider.
But Usyk, 35, has ruled himself out until next year after the Ukrainian hero returned to his war-torn home and family for the first time.
Fury wants to return by the end of the year and therefore turned his attention to Joshua.
And in another twist he has appeared to tell AJ there are only two dates he’ll fight n – and NEITHER are December 17.
He claimed on talkSPORT that November 26 at Wembley or December 3 in Cardiff are the dates on offer.
He said: “I have Nov 26th at Wembley or Dec 3rd. One is 11 weeks, and one is 12 weeks.
“If a professional athlete who’s shredded all year round can’t get himself in shape in three months, there’s a problem.”
Hearn confirmed negotiations are ongoing, including over the pay-per-view rights.
Fury, 34, is a BT boxer while Joshua’s brand new long-term deal with sports streaming service DAZN is about to begin.
Although DAZN have launched a box office platform, making a rare duel PPV possible.
Joshua, 32, was set to return before the end of the year against an opponent ranked within the world’s top 15.
But plans to build back steadily could be cast aside if the chance to challenge for Fury’s WBC belt goes from longshot to reality.
Promoter Warren backed the all-Brit bout to break the domestic PPV record with 2MILLION sales.
And if the price takes an expected hike to £30, it leaves £60million made in box office receipts alone.
And the last time AJ boxed in Wales, beating Joseph Parker, 30, in 2018, around £10m was made by paying fans.
It means Joshua and Fury would be expected to clear well over £70m in PPVs and tickets sales.
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Negotiations are only at a start but Hearn has maintained they are happy with the financial terms.
He said: “In essence, we accept the offer of 60/40 and we confirmed that this morning. Lot’s of conversations to be had.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
