‘Officially over’ – Tyson Fury says Anthony Joshua fight is OFF as ‘coward’ rival misses deadline for Brit blockbuster
TYSON FURY branded Anthony Joshua a “coward” and an “idiot” whose top-level career is over after calling off their world heavyweight title showdown.
Fury set Joshua’s camp a deadline of 5pm on Monday to sign the contract for their all-British December 3 fight in Cardiff - or he would find an alternative opponent.
But after the deadline passed, undefeated WBC champ Fury snapped: “Well guys, it’s official, D-Day has come and gone.
“It’s gone past 5pm on Monday and no contract has been signed.
“It’s officially over for Joshua, he is now out in the cold, with the wolfpack. Forget about it.
“Idiot. Coward. S***house. Bodybuilder.
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“Always knew you didn’t have the minerals to fight the Gypsy King.
“Regardless of what the f*** you say now, I don’t really care.
“Good luck with your life. End of.”
The Gypsy King and his promoter Frank Warren had delivered Team Joshua a contract on September 16 that they felt was simple to sign.
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Joshua, 32, had insisted on Sunday he would sign it, but his promoter Eddie Hearn was adamant there was “no chance” it would be done by Fury’s self-imposed deadline, claiming the details “were all over the place.”
Fury’s BT Sport broadcasters and AJ’s streaming app DAZN also met yesterday to plot a mutually beneficial pay-per-view TV plan for the £75million superfight after AJ had verbally agreed a 60-40 purse split.
Team Joshua will now accuse Fury of bluffing all along and never being serious with the offer.
But Fury, 34, added: “You’ve had this contract 10 days now, b**** and still not signed it.
“I have had Frank on the phone and I am not extending until tomorrow. Tomorrow it is off the table.”
Fury is now most likely to fight Germany-based 37-year-old Manuel Charr after iconic recent wins over Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte.
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Hearn wants to take his star attraction on a rebuilding world tour, following two successive defeats to Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk.
But two-fight foe Whyte - who beat AJ in the amateurs but was knocked out in the pros - has already offered him a December trilogy decider.