Bob Arum says a 50/50 purse split is ‘not right’ if Tyson Fury’s undisputed title fight with Oleksandr Usyk takes place at Wembley… as he claims the Gypsy King deserves the ‘lion’s share’ for bringing in ‘95,000 Brits and higher pay-per-view figures’
Bob Arum has said the preferred location for the undisputed heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is Saudi Arabia, but admitted the blockbuster bout could take place in the UK.
Arum has said Saudi Arabia would be the more lucrative option and explained how they would like to host the fight in the Middle East. However, he did reveal how Wembley stadium had been named as an alternative option.
Arum also explained how the location of the fight would determine how the purse would be split between the boxers as he said a fight in the UK would attract more British fans and higher pay-per-view sales due to Fury’s presence.
Bob Arum has said the preferred location for the undisputed heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is Saudi Arabia but admitted the UK could be a fallback option
Arum also explained how the location of the fight would determine how the purse is split between Usyk (left) and Fury (right)
The venue for the blockbuster bout it yet to be determined but Arum has said the fight will take place in Saudi Arabia is the price it right. If not, it will take place at Wembley.
Arum also said the location of the fight with determine the purse split as he believes Fury deserves the ‘lion’s share’ if the bout takes place in the United Kingdom.
Speaking to Boxing Scene, Arum said: ‘Everybody agreed that if [Saudi Arabia’s] offer comes through and it’s real, that’s how we’ll go. If not, we’ll do the fight at Wembley.’
The blockbuster bout between Fury and Usyk is expected to take place no later than March 4
‘The fighters have agreed to fight. I spoke to Frank Warren. We’re giving them until [this] week to come with their offer, which I believe we’ll get. If we don’t, then we’re gonna do the fight at Wembley.
‘And then we’d have to talk about the percentages because Usyk wants 50-50. That’s not right if the fight’s at Wembley because there will be 95,000 Brits at the fight and big Brit pay-per-view money, so Tyson deserves the lion’s share.
‘But we don’t get to that point if the [investors in Saudi Arabia] come through, because the way they operate is they make deals with each of the fighters.
Arum says Fury deserves the ‘lion’s share’ of the purse if the fight takes place in the UK
‘We’ve been led to believe that they’re going to come with a proposal [this] week. I’ll believe it when I see it, but it’s not like they haven’t come through in the past.’
The blockbuster bout – which will see the division unified for the first time since Lennox Lewis in 1999 – is expected to take place no later than March 4.
The Ukrainian will put his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts on the line against The Gypsy King. While, Fury will bring his WBC title to the table.
