Eddie Hearn has revealed he is sceptical about the reports that Tyson Fury will earn a staggering £164.5million ($200m) for his fights with Francis Ngannou and Oleksandr Usyk.
The boxing promoter claims the real amount is actually closer to £80m – half of what has been suggested – unless there is a rematch clause.
US promoter Bob Arum hinted yesterday that Fury could make the enormous amount after it was announced on Friday that he and Usyk have agreed terms to put all the world titles on the line over the winter period.
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.
Asked what he thought about the proposed sum of money, Hearn told iFL TV: ‘What do you think? In one interview, it’s $100 million, and in another interview, it’s $200 million. I would say [he’s] making over $100[million] Ngannou & Usyk.
Eddie Hearn has claimed Tyson Fury is closer to receiving $100million for his fights with Francis Ngannou and Oleksandr Usyk
On Friday it was announced that Fury and Usyk have agreed terms to put all the world titles on the line over the winter period
‘It’s probably 30 & 70 and 30 & 80, but I’ve heard there’s a rematch clause, whatever happens. So, it’s probably plus.
‘Maybe you want a rematch clause. Imagine if I said to you, “You get x for the first and guaranteed x for the second.” You’d go, “F** it, I might as well do it.”‘
Discussing the potential of the rematch in the Ngannou fight, Hearn added that Fury is now ‘out of the easy money’.
‘If you’re Fury, you want the rematch with Ngannou just in case, especially if the Saudis are offering him a ton of dough. Why not? It’s not like fat & old-looking Fury has an ambition to start fighting the killers in the division that would take advantage of his poor physical condition, lack of activity, and his rapidly advancing age.
‘At this point, Fury is just out for the easy money for what is essentially a farewell retirement tour.’
Either the Gypsy King or Usyk will become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999 and the first in the four-belt era when they take to the ring.
The Cameroonian-French Francis Ngannou will fight the Gypsy King on October 28 in Saudi Arabia
Fury had previously shut down all talks of an undisputed bout with Usyk just a week prior
Fury previously told Mail Sport: ‘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.
‘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.’