Frank Maloney
An offer was made to Tyson Fury guaranteeing him a £650,000 purse to challenge David Price for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.
Tyson’s promoter Mick Hennessy turned down the offer, describing it as a “joke” and added that David would have to “step up to the plate on our terms”.
Since then I have sent Mick an email asking if there is a way for myself and him to sit down to try and make the fight.
Team Price can also then hear what Mick meant when he said “our terms”.
We could meet in private and agree not to negotiate through the press and stop the name calling, which both sides have been guilty of.
People told me that Lennox Lewis v Evander Holyfield would never be made, but we spent hours around a table and arranged a two fight deal.
Price v Fury would be a massive attraction for next summer and both men could have an interim contest before meeting.
Apart from David Haye fighting Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko it is the biggest contest in the heavyweight division.
I understand Team Fury’s hesitancy because they believe they are close a fight against one of the Klitschko brothers.
If that is the route Mick and Tyson are going, make that clear and both sides can go their own way.
Yes, we did make Lennox v Evander twice. However, I truly hope this is not another Lennox-Riddick Bowe contest where there was plenty said and talks, but no action.
Until both teams get around a negotiating table there is little more Team Price can do to make this domestic blockbuster happen in the immediate future.
We have made offers and even tried to make the fight at purses bids when it was ordered by the British Boxing Board of Control, but it was Team Fury who pulled out of those at the last minute.
For the good of British boxing I truly hope Price v Fury is one of sport’s great events of 2013.