By Michael Benson
Dillian Whyte vs Tyson Fury: WBC reveal plan to order fight as decider for Deontay Wilder’s next mandatory, but Whyte’s team reject ruling
The WBC’s heavyweight situation is a mess:
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has revealed that they want to order Dillian Whyte vs Tyson Fury as a final eliminator to determine Deontay Wilder’s next mandatory challenger.
However, this bout seems unlikely to happen as Whyte’s side have not accepted this ruling and their ongoing dispute with the governing body continues.
The Brixton man’s team were outraged earlier this year as he was initially ordered to face Dominic Breazeale in a final eliminator for the WBC ‘interim’ title, only for this bout to be pulled out from under his feet.
When the Wilder vs Fury rematch fell through, Breazeale jumped up to challenge the champion on May 18 instead – because he was existing mandatory having beaten Eric Molina in a questionable final eliminator back in 2017.
As a result, Whyte’s team claim the WBC have ‘protected’ Wilder and are now campaigning to make him automatic mandatory, though the governing body have other ideas.
Sulaiman explained: “When that fight [Wilder vs Fury rematch] falls through, the WBC goes back to the original mandate from the convention, saying that the winner or Wilder vs Fury has to do the mandatory against Breazeale.
“So we go back to then, and then we order Whyte against Fury – if both win their corresponding fights – for the mandatory position.
“And that position was not accepted by Whyte, so the WBC is now handling Dillian Whyte’s appeal and we will resolve it in the coming weeks.
“His petition to the WBC is to be made mandatory contender without fighting a final elimination.
“The WBC’s position was to order him and Fury to fight for the ‘interim’ title and for the mandatory position.
“So we are trying to do several big fights – I’m sure that Whyte vs Fury is a huge fight as well – to create these great fights in the heavyweight division.
Another option suggested by Whyte’s promoter Eddie Hearn was to make his upcoming fight with Oscar Rivas on July 20 the new final eliminator.
“That’s a request they have made,” confirmed Sulaiman, “We officially received that request today.
“And that’s in the hands of the ‘Board of Governors’ and, for your information, the ‘Board of Governors’ is 34 reputable, honourable men from all over the world.
“They vote and they decide the future of each division.”
Article courtesy of Michael Benson & Talk Sports
Recent Comments