Tyson Fury: “Low-profile fighters don’t mean anything to me”
Boxing is still reverberating after news broke on June 10 that IBF/WBA/WBO World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) and WBC Heavyweight belt holder Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) have agreed in principle on a two-fight deal in 2021.
With this announcement, the question begs where does that leave one Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs)? Whyte is the WBC’s mandatory heavyweight challenger and has been pushing to get what he feels is a long-overdue shot at the WBC belt for over two years now.
On the Matchroom Boxing YouTube channel, Matchroom CEO Eddie Hearn stated that he and Whyte’s lawyers have written a letter to the WBC and they have ruled that he must get a fight for the WBC Heavyweight strap by February 2021.
BIG GAME HUNTING
Tyson Fury was a guest on The Lockdown Lowdown podcast with Dev Sahni and was asked about Whyte and the scenario of WBC President Mauricio Suliaman presenting him with a WBC Franchise Title, which would mean that Fury would not have to fight the mandatory challenger. For the fighter known as “Gypsy King,” his goal is big game hunting in the heavyweight division.
“Well to be honest with you, I’m about fighting the biggest fights out there. Wilder and Joshua are the biggest fights out there. See, Dillian Whyte is looking for a payday against me; Pulev (the IBF’s mandatory Heavyweight challenger) is looking for a payday.
All of these mandatories, they’re not sellable, especially in America. I’m looking to do big fights, big colossal fights. The last few fights I got left, whether it’s 3 fights or 10 fights, I want them to be the biggest possible fights.
So whoever is the biggest possible fights at that time is who will get the fights. It won’t be about an organization or anybody dictating because let’s face it, nobody’s ever dictated to the champ. Nobody has ever dictated to me who I’m going to fight or who I’m going to not fight.
These low-profile fighters don’t mean anything to me. I’m after the biggest, best fights that are available. Whatever it takes to do that, I will do it.”
FURY KEEP IT REAL ABOUT DILLIAN WHYTE
And when asked about Whyte’s charge that Fury stole WBC mandatory position from him, the champion’s response was brutally honest.
“Correct I stole his mandatory position. Of course I did, because that’s sellable. I’m undefeated, I’m the lineal champion and people know, they know that can make a ton of money out of me.
Dillian Whyte is the one who got knocked out by AJ already and there’s not much money to be made there. At the end of the day, it’s prizefighting. These promoters want to make as much money as possible and make the biggest fights possible.
Dillian Whyte versus Joe Bronx Jr isn’t a big fight whereas The Gypsy King versus anybody is a big fight, as we’ve seen time and time again.”
Can you say ‘welp’? As cold as that answer was, it’s not like Fury is wrong and out of line. That is, minus his claim that he’s the lineal heavyweight world champion.
With a stoppage win over Deontay Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) on February 22, Fury is at the mountaintop of the current heavyweight landscape. This position makes him very bankable. Unfortunately for Dillian Whyte, that means he will probably have to wait even longer for his opportunity while the champ continues to pursue the big fish in the heavyweight division.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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