Frank Warren, co-promoter of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has advised top contender Dillian Whyte to lower his monetary demands for a potential fight.
This past Tuesday in Mexico, at the WBC’s annual convention, the sanctioning body was expected to order a mandatory fight between Fury and Whyte.
However, the sanctioning body refused to issue that order – because there is still an ongoing legal dispute between the Whyte and the WBC.
According to Warren, part of Whyte’s legal battle with WBC is regarding the monetary split in a purse bid.
Whyte, who holds the WBC’s interim-title, is looking to get at least a 45% split if the contest went to purse bid.
On the other hand, Fury and his handlers are suggesting a split of 80-20 – based on the recent in-ring earnings of both boxers.
“I think Whyte’s fighting over the purse split [with the WBC] and I don’t think he’s got anywhere to go with it. Facts are facts and he lodged his last purse as being £300,000 [for the March rematch with Alexander Povetkin],” Warren told Talk Sport.
“Tyson is in the driving seat. He’s the champion, he’s fought hard to get there, he’s not had any easy fights. Of course the fighter wants to get paid, I get that, but if you’re as good as you think you are, go and win it! Then you’re in the driving seat. He could’ve done that against Anthony Joshua, but he turned down four or five million dollars to fight Joshua. I look at that and say, ‘Where’s your ambition? Why are you in this?’
“What the WBC have said is: let it go to arbitration, let the arbitrators decide on whether he’s got a case or not. If he has, they’ll abide by that. They said the split, which we can’t quite get at the moment, is either going to be 85/15 in Tyson’s favor or 80/20. And that’s because the purses that were submitted, in his last fight, Whyte said he got £300,000.”
Fury wants to return in February or March.
There is still a chance that Whyte could be the opponent, but that scenario depends on his monetary demands.
“Not for what he thinks his worth is. It will be what is determined by the WBC. If we can get that on, it’s shouldn’t be a problem. We’re not bending over backwards for him,” Warren said.
