ammonnews.net

Ammon News - Tyson Fury has urged Anthony Joshua to "give British fans what they want" and sign a contract for a heavyweight world-title fight in December.

WBC champion Fury, 34, had given fellow Briton Joshua, 32, an ultimatum to sign by Monday, but said on social media he has extended the deadline to Thursday.

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn says he is "baffled" by Fury's latest demands.

"The ball is in your court, everything is done," said Fury.

"We have [broadcasters] BT, DAZN and ESPN all on the same page, they're happy with everything.

"If you have any dignity and pride about you, you'll get this contract signed today.

"I'm chucking you a massive bone but I know I can punch your face in so I'm willing to give you an opportunity. Let the British fans have what they want."

Speaking to Sky Sports, Hearn responded by saying Fury has been setting "unrealistic deadlines".

"I don't want to get involved with back and forths that are going to negatively impact this fight being made, but, to be honest, we are quite baffled by the situation," said Hearn.

"I'm not sure why Fury keeps setting unrealistic deadlines whilst also offering the fight to a number of other heavyweights for the selected date.

"If he is serious about the fight being made, I suggest he allows [boxing promotors] Queensbury and Matchroom to keep working hard to make the fight, of which everyone has been trying hard to do."

Joshua's team have already verbally accepted Fury's offer of a 60-40 purse split for a fight on 3 December, and television executives from BT Sport and streaming service DAZN were scheduled to meet on Monday.

Fury's promotor Frank Warren says he does not know what is preventing the contract being signed.

"Look, we can't go on forever. Tyson is fighting on 3 December whatever happens but this is the fight we want and this is the fight we've worked hard to get over the line," he said on Talksport.

"I, for the life of me, don't know what is holding this up. At the end of the day, he [Joshua] is the boss. Instruct your team if you want the fight.

"I want them to pick up the phone, them to get the contract across, instruct their lawyers to speak to our lawyers and get it over the line. It's not rocket science."

Last month Joshua failed to regain the WBA (Super), WBO and IBF belts in a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, losing on a split decision.

Ukrainian Usyk, 35, said he plans to have three more fights before retiring, including a unification bout with Fury, but Joe Joyce is now the mandatory challenger for Usyk's WBO title after beating Joseph Parker on Saturday.

Fury's last fight was a sixth-round knockout victory over fellow Briton Dillian Whyte in April.

(BBC)