LONDON, United Kingdom, Feb 22 – Reigning champion Tyson Fury said Tuesday that Dillian Whyte had signed a contract that sets up a world heavyweight title fight between the two British boxers.
British media reports say the fight will take place on April 23, possibly at London’s Wembley Stadium, although the date and venue have still to be confirmed. 23 April, potentially at Wembley Stadium.
Whyte, 33, a mandatory challenger for Fury’s World Boxing Council title, had a deadline of 0600 GMT on Tuesday to agree a deal after veteran co-promoter Frank Warren won the purse bids with an offer of Ksh 4.6 billion ($41 million).
But Whyte is entitled to a mere 20 percent of the prize fund and there were reports the 33-year-old Londoner was seeking a renegotiated agreement to increase his share of the deal. It now appears, however, that he has settled for the existing terms
“Dillian Whyte signed his contract for Ksh 909 million ($8million), what a surprise,” Fury said on social media.
Fury added: “An absolute idiot. Should this even be a talking point? The man’s signed for the biggest payday he’s going to get in his life.”
Fury v Whyte: How did we get here?
Whyte is the mandatory challenger to Fury’s WBC belt and has been waiting years for a shot at the world title as the WBC’s number-one-ranked contender.
After lengthy discussions between both teams came to nothing, Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions won the purse bids in January with a $41m (£30m) bid, beating Whyte’s promoter Eddie Hearn who was the only other bidder.
Fury, 33, is now set to received 80%, around £20m, of the purse and Whyte the remaining 20%.
Whyte has been pushing for a bigger split of the purse bid but the £5.6m he is guaranteed to receive will be the biggest payday of his career to date. There is also a further £3.1m on offer for the winner.
Fury has not fought in the UK since August 2018 when he beat Francesco Pianeta having fought exclusively in the US since signing a promotional deal with Bob Arum’s Top Rank.
Whyte has built a formidable reputation in UK with just two defeats on his record. There was a suggestion his decision to delay signing his contract was an attempt to unsettle Fury, but the ‘Gypsy King’ poked fun at the idea.
He joked: “My head hurts from all the mind games Dillian Whyte has been playing on me. Oh my god. I’m so sore I don’t know whether I’m coming or going, my training’s camp a mess.”
Fury, who is unbeaten in his pro career with 31 wins and one draw, will now need to seek a boxing licence from the British Boxing Board of Control.
A press conference officially announcing the fight could happen as early as Wednesday. Cardiff’s Principality Stadium is still an option to host the bout although the 90,000-seater Wembley Stadium, a venue neither fighter has headlined, is a clear favourite.
There is still one final outstanding issue between Fury and Whyte to be resolved before an official announcement is made.
