Advertisement

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference LIVE: Latest updates as challenger snubs event

alex pattle
·7 min read

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will defend his title against Dillian Whyte on 23 April, in an all-British clash at Wembley Stadium.

The London venue is also the setting for this afternoon’s press conference, the first in the build-up to the highly-anticipated bout. Fury has been incredibly vocal since the fight was confirmed – and even before that – taunting his fellow 33-year-old at every opportunity. Mandatory challenger and interim champion Whyte, in stark contrast, has been largely silent, leading Fury to label him a “coward” in the run-up to today’s press conference.

It would be no surprise if Fury were to throw that term around this afternoon, too, with Whyte reportedly set to miss the event in order to focus on his training in Portugal, where the Londoner lives. Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum explained: “We won the purse bid, which was way higher than the next biggest bid, and [Whyte’s] not coming to the press conference because we wouldn’t give him a percentage of the upside [from pay-per-view sales], which you don’t get in a purse bid. He told us he won’t come to any of the press conferences except the last one.”

Follow live updates from the first Fury vs Whyte pre-fight press conference, below.

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

  • Fury defends WBC heavyweight title against Whyte on 23 April

  • Britons clash at Wembley Stadium, where today’s press conference is held

  • Whyte misses this afternoon’s event while training in Portugal

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

14:13 , Alex Pattle

Some fighting talk from Fury, who’s now standing up, and it requires some censoring!

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

14:12 , Alex Pattle

Fury: “Whether it’s his face there or someone else’s [on the poster], it doesn’t really matter... He’s ugly anyway, we should take it down.”

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

14:11 , Alex Pattle

Fury: “I know Whyte’s gonna come in rugged, rough, game and aggressive. And he’s got a big left hook, a big right hand. Who knows? It could be me chinned!

“I think that both fighters are going for the knockout, and when I land a Lancaster bomber on his jaw, it’s gonna be over.

“That could be in Round 1 or Round 6 – I don’t see it going past them, Frank.”

Warren: “No, I agree.”

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

14:10 , Alex Pattle

Fury: “Four years away and I get to come back and showcase on the world’s biggest stage at Wembley.

“Not everyone was able to come to Las Vegas, the people who stayed up to 5am to see those fights... now they can come and enjoy an event on home soil.

“People will be talking about this event, saying: ‘Where were you on that night of 23 April 2022, when Tyson Fury smashed this fella to pieces?’”

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

14:08 , Alex Pattle

Warren: “It’s just not right. He’s in Portugal, he should be here. It’s disgraceful that he’s not here, it’s not professional.”

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

14:06 , Alex Pattle

Warren: “[Whyte] signed a contract, which he left right until the last minute, and now he’s trying to renegotiate.

“One of the things was that he wanted a private jet that would fly him in and out today, but we said yesterday we’d do that – in writing.

“Then they started adding other things to it. They didn’t even want us to use his image on a poster.

“I’ve never heard anything like it in my life.

“He’s getting more than [Oleksandr] Usyk got to fight [Anthony] Joshua.”

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

14:04 , Alex Pattle

Frank Warren, Tyson Fury’s UK promoter, says: “We put in a world-record purse bid for the fight, and here it is.

“These are the largest purses ever paid to boxers on British soil.

“We think we’re gonna sell out, just under 100,000 capacity. Fury hasn’t fought in the country in four years.

“It’s unfortunate [Whyte] isn’t here today.”

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

14:02 , Alex Pattle

Dillian Whyte is not present.

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

14:01 , Alex Pattle

Looking at the stage, there does not appear to be a plaque with Dillian Whyte’s name on...

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

13:44 , Alex Pattle

We’re approximately 15 minutes from the start of this press conference.

The big question is whether Whyte will appear...

It’s not looking likely, from what we know so far.

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

13:13 , Alex Pattle

Frank Warren has said that scoring controversies are “killing the credibility of boxing” and that he does not want British judges for this fight between Fury and Whyte.

The promoter’s comments come in the wake of the Josh Taylor’s win over Jack Catterall, which was scored the champion’s way in a split decision after a fight that Catterall appeared to have the better of.

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) is investigating the scoring of the fight, particularly that of judge Ian John-Lewis.

And The Times reports that Warren has written to the BBBofC to say he does not want British officials appointed for Fury vs Whyte and urged the organisation to “downgrade” the “incompetent” judges.

“This has to stop, it was terrible for Jack [Catterall] and is killing the credibility of boxing,” Warren wrote.

More from Warren below:

Frank Warren doesn’t want British judges for Fury vs Whyte after Taylor controversy

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

13:06 , Alex Pattle

Whyte will not attend today’s press conference, according to promoter Bob Arum.

The press conference at Wembley Stadium marks the first opportunity for Whyte to go face-to-face with WBC heavyweight champion Fury, but the challenger will miss the event, Arum said.

Arum, who works as Fury’s US promoter, told Boxing Scene: “[Whyte] will not come to the press conference.

“He told us he won’t come to any of the press conferences except the last one.”

Arum explains why here:

Dillian Whyte refusing to attend Tyson Fury fight press conference, promoter claims

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

12:53 , Alex Pattle

A big sticking point in the negotiations for this fight was the prize money.

Here, we explain the purse bids for Fury vs Whyte, and how they fed into the amount of money that both fighters will make on 23 April:

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte prize money: How much will heavyweights earn for fight?

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

12:47 , Alex Pattle

Tickets for this seismic heavyweight title fight will go on sale tomorrow.

Here’s all you need to know about how to get yours:

How to buy tickets for Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

12:45 , Alex Pattle

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

12:45 , Alex Pattle

Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference

12:26 , Alex Pattle

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will defend his title against Dillian Whyte on 23 April, in an all-British clash at Wembley Stadium.

The London venue is also the setting for this afternoon’s press conference, the first in the build-up to the highly-anticipated bout. Fury has been incredibly vocal since the fight was confirmed – and even before that – taunting his fellow 33-year-old at every opportunity. Mandatory challenger and interim champion Whyte, in stark contrast, has been largely silent, leading Fury to label him a “coward” in the run-up to today’s press conference.

It would be no surprise if Fury were to throw that term around this afternoon, too, with Whyte set to miss the event in order to focus on his training in Portugal, where the Londoner lives. Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum explained: “We won the purse bid, which was way higher than the next biggest bid, and [Whyte’s] not coming to the press conference because we wouldn’t give him a percentage of the upside [from pay-per-view sales], which you don’t get in a purse bid. He told us he won’t come to any of the press conferences except the last one.”