Shelly Finkel, the co-manager of heavyweight contender Deontay Wilder, was shocked that Tyson Fury's handlers did not present them with a step-aside offer to allow the 'Gypsy King' to face Anthony Joshua in a full division unification.

A few months ago, Fury and Joshua were close to deal to collide on a date in August in Saudi Arabia.

While their negotiations were playing out, Fury was engaged in a legal battle with Wilder - who was trying to enforce a rematch clause from their February 2020 encounter.

Wilder's team came out on top - as an arbitrator ordered Fury to honor the rematch clause. They will now face each other for a third time on October 9th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Joshua will defend the WBO, WBA, IBF, IBO titles against mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk on September 25th.

During the arbitration, Wilder's co-manager confirms that a step-aside offer was never presented.

"We were shocked and our lawyers said they were shocked from their side that they made no effort before we won the case," Finkel told The Sun.

"They first tried to vacate the lawsuit and they lost. But there was nothing from their side, which I thought was short sighted. But that's their choice."

The comments from Finkel confirm the statements that were made by Fury back in May, when he spoke to The Athletic and denied reports that he offered Wilder a massive step-aside deal.

"The guy is a sucker I wouldn’t give him £20,000. I pay in ass whoopings that’s what I’ll give him. I’m not interested in giving anyone any money, they’ve got to earn it like I did the hard way by fighting the best of the best," Fury said.

"Until then they are getting ass whoopings from me. No step-aside money. I wouldn’t give him one million dollars to step-aside, I wouldn’t give him a hundred grand, I’d rather give him these big fists in the face."