Bob Arum refuses to engage in what he feels would be a form of contract suicide.

The American promoter for WBC heavyweight titlist Tyson Fury took issue with a recent statement from Alexander Krassyuk, the promoter of WBO, WBA, IBF, IBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, in regards to making a deal for the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

In an interview with BoxingScene.com earlier this week, Krassyuk insisted on financial parity from Fury’s backers, saying he would not countenance anything less than a 50-50 split. Fury is promoted in the UK by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.

Representatives for England’s Fury and Ukraine’s Usyk have been in deep talks for the past few months but after what seemed like smooth sailing, the fight has come up against a few roadblocks in recent weeks. Originally planned for Saudi Arabia, where both fighters would have received outsize paydays, the fight is now likely to land at London’s Wembley Stadium on April 29. As a result, the financial dynamics have drastically changed, and not in the fighters’ favor. The fighters will have to share the financial pot from revenue generated from the gate, pay-per-view sales, and other ancillary sources, as opposed to getting colossal guarantees from the Middle East.

Arum, however, isn’t keen on going back and forth with Krassyuk through the media, adding that he is “very optimistic” that the two parties will come to an agreement soon.

“I like Alexander,” Arum told iD Boxing. “He’s a nice guy. And he’s Ukrainian, again I love Ukraine, I love Ukrainians, but he should shut up and not negotiate in the press. I will not negotiate this fight in the press even a little. Negotiations have to be behind the scenes.

"The Usyk people—I know his manager Egis Klimas, we have a lot of fighters that he manages that we promote. He’s a terrific guy. Very sensible, we can come to an understanding with him and Tyson. So I am not going to talk about percentages or statements because once you start negotiating in the press it all falls apart because then the ego of people comes to the fore and that trumps common sense. So let it be, let us be, let it be behind the scenes. I’m sure we’ll put it together and hopefully have an announcement shortly.

“He was negotiating in the press,” Arum said of Krassyuk. “I am not going to negotiate in the press. I am very optimistic because of who we’re dealing with and the kind of caliber of people they are that we will be able to put this fight to bed.”