Heavyweight superstar Tyson Fury will defend his WBC title against fellow Brit Dillian Whyte, after the biggest successful purse bid in boxing history.
Fury’s British promoter Frank Warren bid $41,025,000 USD ($58.6m AUD) for the right to host the fight, beating Matchroom Boxing’s $32,222,222 USD ($46m AUD).
Fury is set to earn 80 per cent of the purse ($46m AUD) and Whyte 20 per cent ($11.7m AUD).
Undefeated Fury recently secured a second win against Deontay Wilder to conclude a scintillating trilogy of bouts, and will now take on a first-time world title challenger in Whyte. The fight is likely to take place in the UK.
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“I can’t wait to punch Whyte’s face in,” Fury has previously said.
“I’ll give him the best hiding he’s ever had.
“Whyte, train hard! Because you are getting annihilated.”
Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua is expected to now secure a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk for the IBF, WBA and WBO titles.
If Joshua (also British) wins that and regains the trio of belts he lost last year, it could set up a potential mega-fight against Fury, should Fury manage to defend his title against Whyte.
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Legendary boxer Vitali Klitschko declared Fury-Joshua would be ‘the main fight of the past 10 years’.
He said, per Sky Sports: “Everyone expects the rematch between Usyk and Joshua. Usyk is so strong or did Joshua make mistakes? Who is stronger? That question interests every boxing fan. Let’s receive an answer. That’s why this fight must happen.
“Huge fight. Right now, everybody doubts if Joshua is strong enough to fight Fury. He can give the answer in the Usyk fight.
“If Joshua beats Usyk there will be huge interest [in Joshua vs Fury]. It will be the main fight of the past 10 years.
“Joshua is a classic boxer, Fury is unorthodox. Both are punchers, both can decide the fight at any moment.
“Both are world-class fighters and can knock each other out at any second.”
