The "Battle of Britain" in the boxing ring between heavyweight stars Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has burst.
This was announced by the WBC champion Fury on Instagram.
Despite a verbal agreement a few weeks ago, Joshua missed a deadline to sign the contract on Monday.
"It's official," Fury said in a video: "It's Monday after 5pm, no contract has been signed.
It's officially over for Joshua." After Joshua hesitated to sign, Fury had set a deadline.
Joshua has not yet commented.
"Will put on the best show"
Instead, Fury is now fighting German former world champion Mahmoud Charr.
The fight is scheduled for December 3 in Manchester or Cardiff, according to Charr's management.
"Tyson, you made a good decision," said Charr on Instagram: "We will give our fans the best show."
Fury, who oscillates between genius and madness as between retiring and continuing, challenged former world champion Joshua on social media in early September.
A few days later, its management had actually announced that it had accepted “all the conditions” for a duel.
After two defeats against the Ukrainian Alexander Usyk, former champion Joshua is without a championship belt.