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.
Whyte, 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 $41 million £30 million).
But Whyte is entitled to a mere 20 per cent 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.
Fury, won the WBC title by stopping Deontay Wilder in February 2020, following a split decision draw in the pair’s first encounter, and enjoyed a successful first defence with an 11th-round knockout of the American in October.
The champion has repeatedly goaded Whyte on social media and Fury, also 33, tried to undermine his opponent again on Tuesday in an Instagram post that said: “Oh my God. Dillian Whyte’s signed his contract for $8 million. What a surprise!
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“An absolute idiot. Should this even be a talking point? The man signed, for the biggest pay-day he’s ever going to get in his life.”
Fury, however, insisted Whyte had been the one engaging in mind games, as his delay in signing would also halt the start of the champion’s training camp.
Deploying a sarcastic American accent, Fury added: “Oh my God, my head hurts from all the mind-games that Dillian Whyte’s been playing on me. Oh my God. I’m so sore. I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.”
“My training camp’s a mess,” added Fury, who also labelled Whyte a “big dosser” and a “useless sausage” among other, cruder, insults.
He also forecast that his sparring partner Joseph Parker, narrowly beaten by Whyte in July 2018, would “set about him” after he had beaten the challenger.
Whyte has neither responded to Fury’s taunts nor made any announcement about the fight going ahead.
He last fought 11 months ago, when he avenged a shock defeat by Russian veteran Alexander Povetkin in Gibraltar.
Fury has not had a bout on British soil since outpointing Francesco Pianeta at Windsor Park, Belfast in August 2018.
[AFP]
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