Egis Klimas, the manager of Ukrainian heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, has revealed that Usyk’s team―including Klimas himself―were responsible for the inclusion of the 10 million fine that can be imposed on Tyson Fury if he decides to pull out of the heavyweight undisputed clash set to be held on May 18th. The news of the penalty was first revealed by GEA chairman Turki Alalshikh who explained during a joint interview with Fury that the 10 million would come out of the fighter’s own pockets.
With the recent revelation Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KO’s) could potentially lose his IBF heavyweight title if he doesn’t fight Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KO’s) by May 18th, this new clause that is set in the bout contract between the two heavyweights is meant to dissuade either fighter from pulling out of the fight. Furthermore, Egis Klimas also revealed that it had been his idea to include the penalty due to being relatively unsure that Fury would participate on May 18th.
“We wanted to put a penalty [for] if Tyson [Fury] was not coming,” Klimas explained.
“That [penalty] came from our side to put into the contract. That [fine] has to come directly from the fighter―from his next purse, or previous purse, or whatever is going to happen, but it will come from the fighter’s purse.”
The inclusion of this 10 million penalty or fine was likely pushed by Usyk’s team due to their previous experience in making a fight with Fury in which Usyk and his team pulled out of negotiations due to frustration surrounding Fury’s antics last year. When the two fighters’ teams had finally concluded their talks and signed to fight each other, the original date that was set for December last year was pushed back to February of this year following Fury’s match against Francis Ngannou (0-1, 0 KO’s) last October, before that same fight was again pushed back to May 18th after Fury reportedly suffered a cut during training.
The 10 million penalty is therefore meant to discourage either fighter from withdrawing from the fight, though it does not guarantee that this will not occur. However, due to steep fine, it is highly unlikely either heavyweight will be willing to disengage from fighting each other.
