Will Anthony Joshua Accept Step-Aside Money To Make Way For Tyson Fury Vs. Oleksandr Usyk?

If Tyson Fury were to face Oleksandr Usyk, it would be for the undisputed heavyweight championship and would be one of the biggest fights that could be made in boxing. One obstacle for that hugely important matchup? The man who Usyk beat to win three of the heavyweight belts: Anthony Joshua.

In the past few days, the issue of whether Joshua would accept step-aside money to allow Usyk to meet Fury has been bandied about in newspapers, websites and social meda. As Usyk, who beat Joshua by unanimous decision in September, recently told me, he’s prepared to face Joshua again in a contracted rematch. Meanwhile, the sanctioning body that represents Fury’s chunk of the heavyweight crown could force him to face Dillian Whyte, though the fact that the WBC on Wednesday delayed a purse bid between Fury and Wilder could mean that Fury and Usyk are working on a deal.

But for now, the focus is on Joshua. So far, he hasn’t given his blessing for Fury vs. Usyk to commence.

While the Telegraph reported that Joshua had been offered £15 million ($20.2 million) to allow the Fury-Usyk matchup to go forward, he has denied that.

“I ain’t signed no contract, I ain’t seen no contract,” he said, via the BBC.

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s trainer, confirmed on Wednesday that no deal has been struck by the respective camps. Hearn also said the £15 million figure was inaccurate.

“There is definitely no deal done … Long way to go in terms of detail,” he told DAZN, via TalkSport. “There is a smart play here somewhere, but AJ’s not about the money. If the plan makes sense—work with a new trainer, maybe have a fight first, go into a much bigger fight—yeah, I can see the sense in it.

“… He won’t want to do it. A lot of people who know boxing know if you’re going to a new trainer, people will say, ‘It’s a very smart move.’ Then on the other hand it’s, ‘Oh, you’re ducking him.’ You can’t win.”

Whatever Joshua’s motivation would be, Fury wasn’t happy with the lack of a decision.

“Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua have gotta be the worst businessmen in history. Today they lost $90 million,” Fury said on social media. He also called an unnamed group of people a “pack of cowards.”

Remember, though, it wouldn’t only be Joshua who needed that step-aside money. As Yahoo Sports deftly pointed out, Whyte, Fury’s mandatory opponent, “would also require a significant payoff. And if Joshua and Whyte agreed, both Fury and Usyk would require massive paydays.” Which means the Fury vs. Usyk fight, if it were to happen, could be headed to the Middle East.

Later on Twitter, though, Fury dampened enthusiasm around a fight with Usyk by seemingly welcoming a matchup vs. Whyte.

READ MORE BOXING COVERAGE: