Tyson Fury has sensationally claimed that his long-mooted showdown with Anthony Joshua is already in jeopardy just days after the blockbuster bout was officially announced.
The bout, which has been in the pipeline for over a decade, appeared to be at long last signed and delivered on Thursday when an announcement confirmed the pair would trade leather in the early hours of Saturday December 12.
A press conference had been scheduled for next Wednesday where both fighters, together with promoters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn, would be in attendance to officially signify the start of the countdown to fight night.
However, there is now genuine concern that the fight could be cancelled, with Fury laying the blame solely at the feet of Matchroom supremo, Hearn.
Posting on his official social media channels overnight, the Gypsy King fired a verbal assault at AJ's long-term promoter.
"Breaking news... Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn are trying to pull out of this fight. They're saying they're not going to fight now," Fury sensationally claimed.
They are little s***house cowards; It's mainly to do with Eddie Hearn's ego. He's making up a million different things and threatening we're not going to fight.
- Tyson Fury (Instagram)
"You little cowards! AJ pull your finger out you little coward. Now I am coming home, the Gypsy King is coming back to the United Kingdom to thrash you in front of all of my fans, in Wales.
"But now you are making a million excuses not to fight me. Now you have got Turki Alalshikh finding alternative, real men who will fight me at the drop of a hat.
"I hope you are happy you little cowardly b******s; I have never seen anything like you, you pure s***houses.
"This is mainly to do with Hearn's ego; what an absolute p**** -- costing us all the biggest fight in British boxing history. Clowns!"
Hearn has been publicly feuding with UFC president Dana White since the launch of Zuffa Boxing earlier this year, and it's understood he is still not happy at his involvement in the fight.
Speaking to IFL TV recently, the Matchroom boss was adamant that White would have no part in the promotion of the scheduled Fury vs Joshua fight, saying it simply "ain't happening".
However, with White still appearing to be part of the plans, Hearn is believed to have threatened to walk away from the a deal that was set to land his fighter a career-high payday of around £100 million.
"Dana White cannot be involved with this fight promotion. Netflix clearly didn't get the memo. No-one talks to each other," said Hearn last month.
"Then Netflix say the fight is in conjunction with Dana White. Now we have to go through that process and deal with it. It's a little bit annoying but as I've shown through the UK battle that we won, we stand by our contracts."
Fury's promoter Warren has however claimed White -- who is a close friend and business partner of Saudi Arabian bankroller Alalshikh -- has in fact played a significant role in ensuring an agreement was reached with broadcasting giants Netflix.
The dispute between Hearn and White is the latest stumbling block following years of failed negotiations for this fight.
In 2020, claims were made that an agreement had been reached for the two British boxing behemoths to lock-horns, only for talks to subsequently break down, before all parties reconvened discussions 12 months later, only for Deontay Wilder to successfully launch an arbitration case which meant he, instead of Joshua, fought Fury for a third time.
