By: Sean Crose
Per Sky Sports: “The WBC has ordered Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte to start negotiations for a mandatory WBC heavyweight title fight.” That means the 33 year old Whyte might finally get his long awaited chance to face Fury in the ring. The WBC had given it’s reigning heavyweight king Fury some time to see if he could get a unification fight with multi-titlist Oleksandr Usyk, who recently stunned a lot of people be besting Anthony Joshua for Joshua’s titles. Fury-Usyk isn’t happening, however, at least not for the time being. All of which now leaves an opening for the 28-2 Whyte to get a crack at the WBC’s world heavyweight belt.
Whyte has fought many, if not most, of the big names in the division except for Fury and Deontay Wilder. Since beginning his career in 2011, the Englishman (by way of Jamaica) has fought the likes of Joshua, Derick Chisora, Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin and others. Although he’s lost to Joshua and Povetkin, those are the only men Whyte has suffered a defeat to. What’s more, Whyte came back and bested Povetkin in their rematch and no one doubts he’d be ready, able and willing to get a second chance against Joshua. Fury, though, is now the man before him. The WBC will offer both parties some weeks to get the fight made – and if an agreement isn’t reached by that time, a purse bid will be enacted.
According to The Mirror, “the fight is likely to take place in March next year with Cardiff and Manchester among the potential venue.” It makes perfect sense that the fight would go down in England, as Fury, like Whyte, is an Englishman. On top of that, Fury hasn’t fought in his homeland since 2018, when he defeated Francesco Pianeta via ten round decision. Whyte, on the other hand, has fought in Great Britain as recently as 2020.
Although he’s won his share of titles, Whyte has long wanted a crack at real glory. A WBC interim heavyweight title was fine, but now he wants to be the unquestioned WBC and lineal heavyweight champion of the world. First, though, he’ll have to get through Fury, whose big personality and big frame support a big skill set. Fury’s last fight was a rematch with Deontay Wilder which went down in October. It was a brilliant affair, one which saw the man who calls himself “The Gypsy King” emerge victorious.
Now Whyte want to get the opportunity to bask in the spotlight himself.
