Tyson Fury has been warned to expect a potential backlash if he doesn't end up fighting Anthony Joshua next.
Former cruiserweight champion turned pundit Johnny Nelson said his constant updates on social media are "riling the hopes of a nation."
Fury has snubbed a unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk to set up a Battle of the Brits.
Former unified heavyweight champion Joshua recently revealed that his lawyers are working on the contract to enable him to take on the Gypsy King.
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Both men have verbally agreed to split the purse 60-40 in favour of the latter, with Joshua getting the same in the rematch if he beats Fury in their first fight.
Boxing News - Johnny Nelson warns Tyson Fury to expect backlash if Anthony Joshua fight doesn't happen next
Johnny Nelson: Tyson Fury could face backlash if he doesn't fight Anthony Joshua next
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn suggested earlier today that a deal could be announced in the coming weeks.
But Nelson says it has gone too far now for either man to back out unless they want to incur the wrath of both of their respective fanbases.
“It's got to the stage now where both parties have said 'I want this fight' and if this fight doesn't happen, the buck stops with the fighters," he told the PA News agency per The Daily Express. "Will the fight happen?
"Tyson Fury is slowly losing verbal credibility, because of the things he's saying and not saying.
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"You could laugh and joke at it, at first, and say, 'You know Tyson, [it is] good [that] he's not retired', but now the things he's saying are riling the hopes of a nation."
Nelson is clearly as frustrated as anyone about how talks apparently appear to be no further forward despite weeks of negotiations.
He added: "To say, 'this big fight is happening' and then to say, 'I have changed my mind now, it's not happening because they didn't do it on the day I wanted to do it on'…
“Now there's a backlash coming against him because people are starting to see he's like the boy that cried wolf.
“I’m not saying Tyson will probably lose to Joshua, or vice-versa. I’m not saying one beats the other.”
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