EXCLUSIVE
TARGET
Dillian Whyte says Tyson Fury is ‘slowing down’ after Deontay Wilder trilogy as he confirms he intends to face ‘Gypsy King’ next following Otto Wallin cancellation
Dillian Whyte has confirmed to talkSPORT that he now intends to fight Tyson Fury next after cancelling his bout with Otto Wallin.
The 'Body Snatcher' was due to defend his WBC 'interim' belt against the Swede on October 30, but announced this week that he'd suffered a shoulder injury.
6
After the Wallin fight was initially announced, the WBC ruled that Tyson Fury must defend against the 'interim' champion next, unless he is able to agree an undisputed clash with Oleksandr Usyk within 30 days.
As Usyk is obliged to rematch Anthony Joshua, this is off the table and so Whyte is now due for a shot at Fury.
Some have therefore suggested that he is not truly injured and has only withdrawn from the Wallin fight so as not to risk his position as 'interim' champion.
This is something Whyte strongly denies and he has now hit back at these theories.
6
He joined talkSPORT Fight Night on Saturday and said: "I was training, I was ready, I was prepared, spent a fortune on training camp.
"I saw Wallin's complaining he spent $20,000 or something, I was like, 'Well try spending six times that much.'
"People are saying I pulled out because of whatever reason - if that was the case, why would I have four sparring partners here?
"I would've pulled out three weeks ago or whenever the [WBC] ruling was.
6
"I have the guys here, my whole team's here.
"We suffered the injury, I wanted to fight.
"You've got professional people on your team, people who use their brain. I use my balls and my muscle.
"These guys are the brain guys - the surgeons and the doctors - and they told me, 'If you fight, you're gonna risk your career.'"
6
Wallin and his team are calling for Whyte to now reschedule to fight with them, though promoter Eddie Hearn insists he is not contractually obligated to do so.
Asked if he'd take the Fury fight instead if possible, Whyte said: "Yeah of course.
"Fury's got the world title and that's what I've been waiting for, that's what I've worked for.
"I don't even know how much sanctioning fees I've paid.
"I could've easily abandoned this route and gone down another route years ago, but I've waited and I've waited and I've waited.
"So what am I gonna do? Fight Otto Wallin or fight Tyson Fury, what are you gonna do? It's common sense.
"Like I said, I'm not scared of no-one. I wanted to fight.
6
"I think they're gonna mandate me vs Tyson Fury, they've basically said it already.
"It's already been mandated really, so we don't need to wait…
"I want it to be in the UK man, that's a UK fight.
"Vegas is great, I'd love to go to Vegas and fight, but that's a British fight.
"That's the biggest all-British heavyweight title fight since Lennox Lewis vs Frank Bruno."
6
Fury's historic trilogy fight with Wilder was a brutal affair with both men downed twice before the 'Gypsy King's' KO triumph.
"I think that third fight took a lot out of both men," Whyte said.
"Tyson Fury doesn't seem to be getting any better technically.
"He seems to be trying to be more of a puncher and trying to walk guys down.
"But I think that's because he's naturally slowing down now.
Read More on talkSPORT
"I think he's naturally slowing down now and it's probably the Kronk style or whatever.
"He's taken a lot more punishment than he used to."
Topics