Tyson Fury's message to absent Dillian Whyte: 'I will smash his face right in'
The Tyson Fury vs. Dillian Whyte promotion was kicked off Tuesday at Wembley Stadium in London with one key element missing: Whyte.
The challenger to Fury’s WBC heavyweight title on April 23 didn’t show up, apparently because he’s not satisfied with the reported $7.4 million he’s guaranteed (compared to $29.5 million for the champion). The winner also will receive a $4 million bonus.
Bob Arum, Fury’s co-promoter, told BoxingScene.com that Whyte was protesting the fact he won’t receive a percentage of pay-per-view profits.
“The atmosphere is going to be brilliant,” said Frank Warren, Fury’s other co-promoter. “All we need – unfortunately he is not here today – is the other side of the card to show up.”
Fury, who lives in Las Vegas, hasn’t fought in his native U.K. since he outpointed Francesco Pianeta in August 2018 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He hasn’t fought in England since June 2018, when he stopped Sefer Seferi in four rounds in his hometown of Manchester.
“The Gypsy King” is pleased to be returning to the U.K.
“I just feel like the song Thin Lizzy, ‘The Boys are Back in Town,’” he said during the kickoff news conference. “Four years away, and I get to come back and showcase on the world’s biggest stage at Wembley Stadium, 100,000 people there.
“I’m just putting it on so the fans can come. For the people who stayed up to five in the morning to see those fights on BT Sport, now they can come and enjoy an event on home soil and be a part of history.”
What about Whyte’s absence at the news conference? Fury had fun with it and then made a more serious comment.
“I don’t blame him for not being here today because if he were here, I’d have probably stretched him at the press conference,” he said. “It’s good he’s not here, otherwise I’d be remanded in a London jail cell somewhere. The buildup to this fight will be fantastic because Tyson Fury versus his own shadow sells for sure. I will make sure people are entertained.”
“My personal message to Dillian Whyte today is this: I will win this fight for England and for St. George on St. George’s Day. There we go.”
He added: “He should be here promoting the fight. That’s my opinion, and I think it’s tough luck for him and his family and his legacy going forward.”
Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) is coming of his sensational 11th-round knockout of Deontay Wilder in their third fight, this past October.
He won the WBC title by stopping Wilder in seven rounds in February 2020, which was their second fight. They fought to a disputed draw in December 2018.
Fury will be making the second defense of his title against Whyte, his mandatory challenger. Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) last fought a year ago, when he avenged his knockout loss to Alexander Povetkin in their previous fight by stopping the Russian in four rounds.
Fury served up obligatory compliments about Whyte to sell the fight but then became more real.
“If I can’t look like Muhammad Ali against this guy, then I’m in the wrong ,” he said. “I will chop him to bits. Not a problem. I will smash his face right in. You’re going to see a boxing masterclass. You’re going to see the difference in levels.”