Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn has reiterated that there will not be a quick resolution to negotiations for the proposed heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Despite losing to IBF, WBA and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk last month, Joshua has been presented with an opportunity to face long-time rival Fury in Cardiff on December 3.
Upon Fury calling out Joshua on social media earlier this month, the 2012 Olympic gold medallist verbally accepted the fight, and discussions have been ongoing ever since.
However, Fury, the WBC title holder, has attempted to set numerous deadlines for contracts to be signed, insisting on Monday that Joshua had missed his opportunity to agree to the super-fight.
On Thursday morning, Fury posted one of several more posts on social media, claiming that he was now willing to proceed with the fight if Joshua penned his side of the terms by the end of the day.
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Hearn, who has been in constant dialogue with Queensberry Promotions, has dismissed that possibility, however, and explained where talks are currently at in an interview with iFL TV.
As well as rejecting Fury's claims that Matchroom had a contract in front of them 'for more than two weeks', Hearn acknowledged that positive discussions had been held between the promoters and their subsequent broadcasters.
Hearn added that they sent a contract "with comments" back to Queensberry on Monday, who subsequently returned with proposed amendments of their own on Wednesday.
As it stood on Thursday afternoon, Hearn indicated that they would continue the process by making further contact with Queensberry later in the day.
In the event that a deal does not get agreed, whether that be before a deadline or at all, Fury is known to have a plan in place to instead fight fringe contender Manuel Charr.
Although the 37-year-old is on a five-match winning streak, he has not fought a credible opponent since beating Aleksandr Ustinov for the WBA regular belt back in November 2017.
Darren Plant
