Dillian Whyte’s promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing says he does want the fight against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and he’s just staying silent as an approach to safe energy before the April contest.
That being the case, the 34-year-old Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) has been saving loads of energy by not uttering a peep since Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing promotional company was outbid by Fury’s promoters by a $41 million to $32M bid last Friday.
What the worry is from fans is that Whyte won’t assist with the promotion of the event so that he can pay Fury’s management back for failing to give him the split that he asked for.
If Whyte chooses not to speak to the media during the promotion of the event, it’s going to make things challenging for Fury’s management that won the purse bid with the vast $41M bid. Hearn didn’t address whether Whyte will continue to save his energy and not speak to the media during the entire promotion.
If that’s what Whyte is planning on doing, it’s difficult not to see that as a move to sabotage the promotion of the event as a form of payback for him not getting the split he asked for. What will Team Fury do if Whyte decides to stay silent or put in a minimal effort to promote the fight?
“He’s just chilled and training,” Eddie Hearn said to MMA Hour when asked why Dillian hasn’t spoken to the media since last Friday’s purse bid for the Fury vs. Whyte fight.
“There’s a way to deal with Fury, and sometimes going on the quiet side is a decent way to do it. Do you really want to get in a slagging match with Fury and use all that energy?
That’s a ton of money for a fight that only resonates in the UK. As far as American boxing fans are concerned, Whyte is no one special.
Fury might as well be fighting Dereck Chisora because Whyte isn’t a household name in the U.S, and it’s going to be VERY difficult to sell the Fury-Whyte event on ESPN PPV.
Whyte’s $8 million purse is guaranteed for the Fury fight, and he has the chance to make an additional $4 million if he wins.
The World Boxing Council has chosen to keep 10% of the bid as bonus money to the winner, which means Whyte could wind up with $12 million if he wins.
In Fury’s case, his $29 million purse for the fight would shoot up to $33 million if he’s victorious.
“Do your work, do your training, and go and try and knock him out,” Hearn said. “There are no conversations about another direction; this is the only direction, this is the fight.”
