US promoter, Bob Arum, has hinted that Tyson Fury could make around $200million for his undisputed heavyweight championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.
It was announced on Friday afternoon that Fury and Usyk have agreed terms to put all the world titles on the line over the winter period – with the historic bout set to take place on December 23 or later in January.
The announcement came as a shock to boxing fans across the world as Fury – who is fighting Francis Ngannou on October 28 – had shutdown talks of an undisputed bout just a week before.
The Gypsy King told Mail Sport he was only interested in taking bouts that were financially rewarding and said that Usyk ‘doesn’t cut it’ because of the language barrier.
However, Arum has now revealed that Fury will earn upwards of $100m dollars – with reports stating the 35-year-old’s pay cheque will be closer to the $200m mark for the undisputed bout.
US promoter, Bob Arum , has hinted that Tyson Fury could make around $200million for his undisputed heavyweight championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia
The winner of Fury (left) vs Usyk (right) will be the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999, and the first in the four-belt era
Speaking to the media, Arum said: ‘If you told Tyson Fury he’s set to make $100 million, he’d really get pissed off, because he thinks – and I think he’s right – that he’s gonna make a lot more than that.’
Reports are stating that Fury could make in the region of $200m for the fight which will see either the Gypsy King or Usyk become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999, and the first in the four-belt era.
Nevertheless, the announcement of the fight comes as a shock considering Fury told Mail Sport he had no interest in fighting Usyk for the undisputed title. Instead, the Gypsy King said he wanted to take part in more crossover bouts.
When speaking to Mail Sport, Fury said: ‘Nope, I am not interested in fighting Usyk. He’s a little Ukrainian dosser. That’s all he is to me. No interest in unifying the division. It doesn’t mean s*** to me.
‘All that stuff about unifying and whatever, it really doesn’t mean anything to me. I am looking for the biggest payday. Most of the time, Usyk doesn’t cut it.
Fury is set to fight former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia next month
‘He’s just a foreign person who doesn’t speak good English so you can’t really sell him. I am looking for probably another American. Probably looking to fight Jon Jones in a boxing fight.’
When pressed on whether he was bothered by the criticism he had received for rejecting a bout with Usyk, Fury said: ‘Haters are going to hate. I am getting a bag. I am getting a f***ing big bag too. So, I won’t feel bad when I am cashing my cheque in.
‘I won’t care when I am eating ice cream and marshmallows all day drinking Pina Coladas. I’m not thinking, ‘what about those boxers?’ and all that s***.
‘So, yeah, haters are going to hate. Everyone famous has haters. I’m sure Van Gogh had his haters too but I can’t name any of them today so that just shows you. We’ll be alright.’