Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua expects a very tense negotiations for a potential fight with WBC king Tyson Fury.
Joshua is back in the ring this coming Saturday night, when he faces Jermaine Frankin at the O2 Arena in London.
The British star will be looking to bounce back after suffering back to back defeats at the hands of WBO, IBF, IBO, WBA champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury was in talks for a unification with Usyk, but their negotiations recently fell apart over the monetary split connected to the rematch clause.
Usyk had accepted a split of 70-30 in Fury’s favor – but reportedly wanted a 70-30 split in his own favor if he won the first bout. Fury was only willing to agree to a 50-50 split in the second contest.
The way those negotiations played out is what worries Joshua the most.
“I tell you what, if he is doing a 70-30 split for an undisputed heavyweight world title fight, to an already undisputed cruiserweight and unified heavyweight champion, imagine what he is going to try to offer me. It’s just a nightmare,” Joshua told The Sun.
Two years ago, Joshua and Fury had a 50-50 deal in place for a high-stakes showdown – but the fight fell through when Deontay Wilder won a legal battle to force a trilogy fight with Fury.
Johsua is confident that his handlers will negotiate the best terms possible for a Fury fight.
“When that fight happens – God willing it does – then my management and promotional team will be in my corner, they will back me, they know what I bring to the table. They would negotiate fiercely to make sure I get a lion’s share of what’s on the table,” Joshua said.