Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte - news: Latest build-up to heavyweight title fight
The pair face off in a long-awaited, all-British clash at Wembley Stadium this Saturday
We are just three days away from a huge heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte, with the pair set to main event at Wembley Stadium with the WBC belt on the line.
The all-British bout, one of the biggest in the nation’s history in the sport, marks Fury’s second defence of the title that he won from Deontay Wilder in the rivals’ second in-ring meeting. By stopping the American in the 11th round last October, Fury retained the belt, and former sparring partner Whyte is his next challenger. Whyte, 34, last competed in March 2021, knocking out Alexander Povetkin to avenge his own stoppage loss to the Russian from August 2020.
As inactive as Whyte has been in the ring since, he has been similarly inactive outside of it, refusing to attend last month’s pre-fight press conference. The “Bodysnatcher” finally broke his silence this week, however, playing down the mind games of Fury, 33, by saying: “He can’t get in my head. Even if he gets in my head, he’s only gonna find a lot of disturbance in there.” Open workouts took place today, and we’ll bring you all the latest news and previews ahead of the fight.
Follow all the build-up to Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte, below.
Fury vs Whyte
Oleksandr Usyk will “study” Tyson Fury’s fight against Dillian Whyte this Saturday, knowing he may well await the winner of the WBC heavyweight title fight.
Unbeaten Ukrainian Usyk holds the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts, which he is set to defend this June or July in a rematch with Anthony Joshua, the man he dethroned in September.
A unification bout between the winner of Usyk vs Joshua and the victor of Fury vs Whyte could be next, although Fury would likely rematch Whyte if he loses the WBC belt to his fellow Briton on Saturday.
In any case, Usyk and his team will keep a close eye on the Wembley clash this weekend, according to the southpaw’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk.
Here’s what he said:
Oleksandr Usyk will ‘study’ Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte fight
Fury vs Whyte
Whyte’s former trainer Mark Tibbs is pleased the heavyweight will get an “overdue” world title shot this week and says the Brixton boxer knows how to beat Fury but admits putting it into practice is a different matter.
Tibbs, who worked with Whyte for four years, told the PA news agency: “I had a good journey with Dillian and I really enjoyed it. We had a good time together.
“I am pleased for him that he has got his world title shot at last. It is well overdue and I was a little bit surprised he wasn’t performing with the press conference but I was relieved on Wednesday when I realised he has been playing a game and now he was playing ball after that tweet.
“Knowing Dillian as I do and knowing his strength of mind and character, I really believe he will be the best Dillian Whyte on April 23. He will be tuned in, he will be focused mentally and nothing will faze him.”
More from Tibbs here:
Dillian Whyte ‘overdue’ for world title shot against Tyson Fury, says ex-trainer
Fury vs Whyte
Whyte has played down Fury’s ability to play mind games, saying the WBC heavyweight champion’s “mouth is like a toilet”.
Whyte refused to attend the first pre-fight press conference last month ahead of his title shot against Fury this Saturday, though the challenger finally broke a long period of social-media silence last week.
Now, the 34-year-old Whyte has spoken to The Independent columnist Steve Bunce in an interview with BT Sport, opening up on his decision to snub the press conference and the chance to go face-to-face with Fury.
“People forget that Tyson Fury didn’t turn up to the Wladimir Klitschko press conference. Everyone’s giving me stick, and he was contractually obliged to go to that – I wasn’t contractually obliged to go to any press conference,” Whyte said.
“I don’t care what Tyson Fury says, he says a lot of s***. His mouth’s like a toilet, he just keeps flushing and flushing and flushing and flushing. He just flushes any kind of random s*** that comes out of his mouth.”
More from Whyte here:
Tyson Fury’s ‘mouth is like a toilet’, says Dillian Whyte
Fury vs Whyte
Whyte has dismissed suggestions that he was knocked out or dropped by upcoming opponent Fury in old sparring sessions between the pair.
Fury, 33, and Whyte, 34, sparred with one another earlier in their careers, with Fury having said often in the build-up to Saturday’s main event that he dominated his compatriot in those encounters.
“Tyson Fury’s never knocked me out and never dropped me,” Whyte told The Independent columnist Steve Bunce in an interview with BT Sport this week.
“Ask him about the rest of the sparring. He’s never held his hands up and said: ‘I never knocked him down or dropped him or anything like that.’ But I can hold my hands up and say: ‘Tyson Fury’s never knocked me out, knocked me down, or dropped me ever.’
“There have been times in sparring where he’s outboxed me, because I never had no experience...”
More from Whyte here:
Dillian Whyte lifts lid on old sparring sessions with Tyson Fury
Fury vs Whyte
One of the stories simmering in the way in the background as this fight edges closer is around Fury’s relationship to Daniel Kinahan. While Fury was not asked about the alleged crime boss on a conference call last week, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has addressed rumours of his own connection to the Irishman.
Kinahan was last week named as being a head of the Irish Kinahan crime gang and hit with worldwide financial sanctions by the United States government.
Sulaiman has said he has “at no time” had any relationship with Kinahan, who has acted as an advisor to Fury in the past.
The WBC boss said in a statement on Monday: “Whilst visiting Dubai recently I was introduced to Daniel Kinahan, who has since been placed on a sanctions list by the US Treasury Department, concerning alleged links to drug crimes.
“This has generated speculation and attacks on myself and the WBC. I therefore feel it necessary to make it clear that at no time have we had any relationship with Daniel Kinahan.”
More from Sulaiman here:
WBC boss Mauricio Sulaiman denies link to Daniel Kinahan
Fury vs Whyte
“It will finally be Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte on Saturday night at Wembley Stadium in a very personal fight under the eyes of a global audience.
“Fans will travel to London in hope, hate and belief to sit under the glowing bar that fills the gap between ring and sky at the stadium; they will be lucky witnesses to a night of history.
“At some point close to 11pm, the night will be lit by 94,000 fanatics holding up their phones to create our unique boxing milky way of sparkles; then the flames will come. Everybody will feel the heat, trust me.
“In the tunnels at Wembley, the first of the two fighters will have left his safe dressing room and will be shuffling to the point of entry, and also the point of no return; the other fighter will be in one last prayer huddle. Whyte will wait, Fury will pray.
“There will be bedlam and howling as the music plays and the moment of contact moves ever closer. At last, the wait will nearly be over and the words will have long dried up in the mouths of all interested parties. Too much has been said. It will just be Fury and Whyte and 50 metres of distance to cover in the most important walk of their lives.”
Read Steve Bunce’s fight preview in full, right here:
Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte is a personal rivalry to be settled in front of the world
Fury vs Whyte
We are just three days away from a huge heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte, with the pair set to main event at Wembley Stadium with the WBC belt on the line.
The all-British bout, one of the biggest in the nation’s history in the sport, marks Fury’s second defence of the title that he won from Deontay Wilder in the rivals’ second in-ring meeting. By stopping the American in the 11th round last October, Fury retained the belt, and interim champion Whyte is his next challenger. Whyte, 34, last competed in March 2021, knocking out Alexander Povetkin to avenge his ownn stoppage loss to the Russian from August 2020.
As inactive as Whyte has been in the ring since, he has been similarly inactive outside of it, refusing to attend last month’s pre-fight press conference. The “Bodysnatcher” finally broke his silence this week, however, playing down the mind games of Fury, 33, by saying: “He can’t get in my head. Even if he gets in my head, he’s only gonna find a lot of disturbance in there.” Open workouts are set to take place today, and we’ll bring you all the latest news and previews ahead of the fight.
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