Dillian Whyte has launched a withering attack on Tyson Fury, claiming the WBC champion has single-handedly destroyed the heavyweight title picture.
Last week, Fury pulled out of a July 24 trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder after apparently contracting Covid-19, pushing that bout back to October 9.
That demoralising postponement meant none of the heavyweight titles have been defended this year following the breakdown of the undisputed clash between Fury and WBA Super, WBO and IBF champion Anthony Joshua. After months of painfully drawn-out negotiations, Fury-Joshua, of course, fell through after an arbitrator ruled that the ‘Gypsy King’ must fulfil the previously contracted trilogy fight with Wilder.
WBC Interim title holder Whyte, never shy to voice his opinion, believes Fury is responsible for the logjam that has paralysed the heavyweight titles and has looked on in bemusement as the unbeaten Mancunian has been pictured in Las Vegas mixing freely with fans despite his positive Covid test.
“Tyson Fury is a wanker and a disgrace to British boxing if he has caught Covid-19 and gone around Las Vegas mixing with fans after cancelling the Deontay Wilder fight,” Whyte told The Sun.
“He talks shit because when you have Covid-19 you are sick and you have to quarantine and instead he is walking around smiling, mixing and taking photos with people. Either he has got it or he hasn’t – they said his mate and sparring partner Joseph Parker had it and the next minute he’s out at a UFC fight denying it.
“There are videos and photos of [Fury] out and about, happy as Larry, just like he was when the Anthony Joshua fight got cancelled. The biggest fight in British boxing history was cancelled and he was laughing and joking about it.
“It is exactly the same now the Wilder fight has been cancelled because of him apparently having Covid. Loads of boxers are using Covid as an excuse to pull-out of fights or as a back-up excuse if they lose. These guys are irresponsible if they are using Covid when it is killing people and devastating families all over the world.”
Whyte believes there was limited interest in a Fury-Wilder III bout, given the Gypsy King’s emphatic seven-round win over the American in February 2020. No British fans were allowed to travel to Las Vegas under current Covid-19 restrictions and a UK broadcaster was never announced for the third fight.
“Fury knew that this fight was dying on its arse and pulled out,” claimed Whyte. “They couldn’t give a ticket away as Brits were not travelling and none of the TV companies were bothered about another 5am fight against a bloke he has already beaten.
“Money is everything to Fury. Where is that £7million he supposedly donated to the homeless charities after the first Wilder fight? Tyson Fury talks a lot of shit and people sadly lap it up.
“Tyson Fury has fucked the entire heavyweight boxing scene all around the world and the whole sport is struggling because of it.”