Two-time former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua admits that he requested a tremendous amount of money to step-aside from his contracted rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Back in September, Usyk outboxed Joshua over twelve rounds to capture the WBO, IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight titles.
Earlier this year, there were discussions to pay Joshua a step-aside sum in order to have Usyk face WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a full division unification.
According to Fury and his co-promoter Frank Warren, the financial demands made by Joshua were simply too high.
Fury is now scheduled to make a mandatory defense against Dillian Whyte on April 23 at Wembley Stadium. while Joshua will collide with Usyk on a yet to be finalized date in the month of May.
"I asked them for a big stack of dough which I knew they wouldn't be able to get. If they did get it I would have considered it but they didn't get it," Joshua said to IFL TV.
"I'm focused on the Oleksandr Usyk rematch. If it was hundreds of millions, I'd have been like, 'yeah, let's look at it' but it wasn't. I want to fight and the money will come if I go out there and win. Money comes with success so I'd rather do what I can do in the ring, get revenge and get the belts back."
Usyk is currently in Ukraine, where the unbeaten boxer is providing assistance to his countrymen who are dealing with ongoing invasion by Russia.
Event promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom is still working on the venue for Usyk-Joshua.
"Usyk's got a lot on his plate at the moment from a personal perspective and we respect that, but we're working to determine where the fight is going to take place," Hearn said.
