Bob Arum reveals Dillian Whyte threats over Tyson Fury world title fight
- Matty Briggs
- 15 February 2022
Tyson Fury's US promoter Bob Arum says Dillian Whyte's team have "threatened" them over promoting the proposed heavyweight world title fight.
The scheduled date for the WBC clash is April 23, but with no contract yet signed by Whyte the fight is still up in the air.
Fury's British promoter Frank Warren and Queensbury Promotions won the purse bid for the fight last month.
His £31m offer was way in excess of Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing bid of £24m to stage the bout.
The WBC demanded an 80/20 purse split in favour of Fury, while 10 per cent is kept as a winner's bonus. That means that Fury will receive £22m, Whyte will receive £5.5m, and the winner of the fight earns an additional £3.1m bonus.
But Whyte's camp have been silent ever since and Arum has confirmed they want a better deal or have threatened to withdraw from promoting what would be his first ever world title fight.
Arum told Queensberry Promotions: "We've sent out contracts for the fight and Tyson Fury has signed his contract immediately, but we are having trouble with Dillian Whyte because, first they said they wanted more money.
"Before that they said they would not participate in the promotion. But they are getting enough money and they should participate in the promotion.
Lunch with the boys 🍽 @Tyson_Fury @BobArum pic.twitter.com/UOYZixK3Sl
— Frank Warren (@frankwarren_tv) February 11, 2022
"But that's not their theory, so we sent them a barebones contract in accordance with the WBC rules and they have that now and the lawyer for Whyte says they will sign that contract and send it back to us.
"So that contract will come back some time next week and then Frank will set the date of the press conference.
"And it maybe just a press conference with Tyson and a contract," joked the American.
Contract deadline
Warren confirmed Whyte's team had 21 days from the purse bid to get the contract signed. And he believes they will adhere to that, but at the moment they are dragging their heels.
Warren said: "The contract has to be signed by February 19 and I expect they will sign it, but if for any strange reason they don't, then he's out of it.
"We entered into a purse bid and as part of that certain things had to be done. One of the things was that contracts have to be lodged within 21 days so he's done nothing wrong yet.
"We would have preferred him to do it earlier, so that we can get out and promote it."
Arum though has made it clear that Queensbury Promotions will not be swayed by the pressure from Whyte and his lawyer.
"They thought they had a real threat by saying they were not going to participate in the promotional activities for the fight," added Arum.
"In a lot of circumstances that might be a real threat, but we've got Fury and we don't need anybody else promoting the fight."
Warren and Arum, weho have worked together for many years, believe they have the "biggest Showmam since Muhammad Ali" and do not need Whyte to sell the fight.
"He promoted the Deontay Wilder fights in America against an American. Because of him Wilder became known in America. He's the biggest showman in heavyweight boxing since Muhammad Ali," said Warren.
Arum: 'It's like pointing a gun at his own head'
"He is saying he wants extra money to promote more than the $7.3m purse bid.
"But our position is 'we are not going to give it to you'," said Arum.
"Now, if the fight does enormously well, we'll give you a taste at the back end where everybody has made money.
"But we're not going to be put in a position where you're threatening us that you're not going to participate in the promotion.
"If he doesn't, he's a damn fool because there's always tomorrow.
"Even if he loses the fight, by participating in the promotion he builds his own image and his own career.
"And secondly and even more important is that he really needs the exposure from this big fight and his threat is that he's not gonna avail himself of that exposure.
"It's like pointing a gun at his own head and saying if you don't give me more money…"
"... I will shoot myself," Warren interjected.
