-
Mike CoppingerESPN
Tyson Fury found himself in a familiar role on Tuesday in London.
The heavyweight champion carried the promotion ahead of his trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder last year, as the challenger refused to answer questions from the media at the kick-off news conference.
And now, for the second consecutive bout, Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) was forced to handle the brunt of media duties as his next opponent, Dillian Whyte, no-showed for Tuesday’s presser to commence the promotion for their April 23 bout at London’s Wembley Stadium on ESPN PPV.
“He should be here promoting the fight,” said Fury, ESPN’s No. 1 heavyweight. “That’s my opinion, and I think it’s tough luck for him and his family and his legacy going forward.”
“I thought he would have come here to be a part of big-time boxing,” he added. “He’s never been involved in a fight of this magnitude and likely won’t be ever again.”
Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) has been virtually silent on social media since promoter Frank Warren won the rights to the fight at a January purse bid with a record $41,025,000. The 34-year-old native of Jamaica waited until last Monday’s deadline to sign the contract as he pushed to participate in the potential upside of pay-per-view sales.
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who co-promotes Fury alongside Warren, told BoxingScene that Whyte refused to promote the bout unless he was cut in on that upside. The purse bid calls for Whyte to earn $7,384,500. Fury will earn $29,538,000, or 80% of the bid, less a 10% win bonus ($4,102,500).
“We ticked all the boxes, and he signed the contract — at the last minute — and now he’s trying to renegotiate,” Warren said. “He’s getting eight times more than Tyson got when he fought [Wladimir] Klitschko. Dillian Whyte is in Portugal; it’s disgraceful. He should be here; this is madness.”
Said Arum on Twitter: “Shame on Dillian Whyte for disrespecting the sport.”
Whyte didn’t respond to a text message from ESPN seeking comment.
He was the WBC’s No. 1 contender for more than 1,000 days without a title shot before he was upset by Alexander Povetkin in August 2020. Whyte avenged the knockout with a TKO of Povetkin in March 2021 to regain his status as the WBC’s mandatory challenger. ESPN’s No. 6 heavyweight, Whyte is arguably the most accomplished active boxer to never receive a title shot. He owns wins over Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora along with a TKO loss to Anthony Joshua in 2015.
The clash with Fury, expected before 90,000, will be just the third all-British showdown for the heavyweight championship in history. It will also mark Fury’s return to the U.K.; he hasn’t competed in his homeland since an August 2018 win over Francesco Pianeta.
That was Fury’s second comeback fight, after he relinquished his unified heavyweight championship as he struggled with substance abuse and depression. Of Fury’s last five fights, four have taken place in Las Vegas; his first meeting with Deontay Wilder took place in Los Angeles.
During that span, Fury scored two wins over Wilder inside the distance to solidify himself as the best heavyweight in the world. He also transcended into a legitimate star in the U.S., during that time, which coincided with a six-fight deal with Top Rank to exclusively compete on ESPN platforms. The deal included an option; Fury has one more fight left on his contract with Top Rank after the Whyte bout.
“I don’t blame him for not being here today because, if he were here, I’d have probably stretched him at the press conference,” Fury joked. “It’s good he’s not here, otherwise I’d be remanded in a London jail cell somewhere. The buildup to this fight will be fantastic, because Tyson Fury versus his own shadow sells for sure. I will make sure people are entertained.”
“The Gypsy King” again teased retirement on Tuesday, but a win over Whyte would position the 33-year-old for a fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Oleksandr Usyk and Joshua are expected to meet again in the spring in the U.K., and whoever emerges with three titles could meet Fury later this year.
“This is the final fight of my career,” Fury said. ” … “$150 million in the bank, healthy, young; I’m gonna buy a massive yacht abroad.”