Pulev v Whyte was called to a deadline on Thursday at 7pm UK time, although a further seven days were requested – leading some to believe a deal could be close.
The International Boxing Federation confirmed the news to WBN just hours before the scheduled cut off point.
A battle with Whyte is the consolation prize afforded to Pulev after the Bulgarian was forced to pull out of a world title challenge against Anthony Joshua last October.
Joshua was forced to draft in late replacement Carlos Takam due to Pulev’s late withdrawal and as a result, has moved on from the veteran to a potential undisputed unification with Deontay Wilder.
For Whyte, the subject is a touchy one as the Londoner missed out on being named mandatory for Wilder despite claiming the number spot in the heavyweight ratings with the WBC.
Instead, Dominic Breazeale was afforded the honor of facing Wilder should negotiations with Joshua collapse in the near future.
The winner of Pulev v Whyte, which could take place in London this summer, will then join the queue alongside Alexander Povetkin and Breazeale for the opportunity of fighting for all the top division marbles.
As Joshua and Wilder looked to fully unify the 200 pound plus weight class, the situation behind them continues to become more and more complex.
