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Home » Tyson Fury faces dilemma as Dillian Whyte purse bid gets delayed again

Tyson Fury faces dilemma as Dillian Whyte purse bid gets delayed again

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  • 3 min read

Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury may get forced to formally ditch plans to fight Dillian Whyte next after yet another WBC purse bid delay.

Fury wants to fight on March 26 after defeating Deontay Wilder for the second time and has revealed he is considering alternative opponents to the WBC interim ruler.

However, Whyte’s promoter Eddie Hearn wants Fury to battle Whyte next and says any date in the next two months is too soon.

“People keep talking about March dates – that’s starting to look unrealistic for a fight of this magnitude,” Hearn told BBC Radio Five Live.

As a purse bid moves again from January 18 to 21st, Fury may have to look closer at the possibility of defending only his lineal title until things get worked out with Whyte.

If Frank Warren doesn’t make a switch-up, Fury is potentially facing further weeks out of action. That’s according to dates eyed by Hearn for the fight.

“Either March, April, early May potentially. This is the window for the fight. It depends what happens this week,” stated the Matchroom boss.

“There are so many conversations going on behind the scenes right now. Something could turn at any moment.”

The prominent bone of contention for Hearn and Whyte is the purse bid. But continually delaying the purse bids may only serve to annoy Fury and Warren rather than see them back down.

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte WBC

PURSE SPLIT

Whyte and Hearn want more than the twenty percent ruling by the World Boxing Council.

“You’re talking about a lot of money – a difference of 25%,” Hearn pointed out. “The normal split for any mandatory challenger is a lot more than 80/20.

“The normal split for an interim champion is up to 45%. We feel in terms of the commercial value of Dillian Whyte. The time he’s had to wait, 80/20 is quite ridiculous, really.”

Arbitration launched by Whyte is ongoing but may be the straw that broke the camel’s back and finally see Tyson Fury move on until a ruling gets made.

“[It] looks like Dillian Whyte will definitely get his shot at the WBC title. But we have to fight for his rights and make sure it’s fair.

“It’s not going to stand in the way of the fight.”

Whether it happens this spring, the summer, or later in the year will get determined in the coming days.

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