Dillian Whyte unhappy at money on table for Anthony Joshua fight – as Eddie Hearn discusses split risk
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
Dillian Whyte has slammed the money offered for him to fight Anthony Joshua in April – with talk he could split from promoter Eddie Hearn.
The Brixton fighter’s profile has soared while working with Matchroom Boxing – with his wins over Lucas Browne, Joseph Parker and Dereck Chisora propelling him up the rankings.
But Whyte’s plans have been on hold while boxing politics play out.
Hearn also promotes Joshua and wants to put the four-belt world champion into a unification clash with American Deontay Wilder.
But with a Wilder-Tyson Fury rematch also in the mix, it could throw up an April 13 rematch between Whyte and Joshua.
Yet the South Londoner, who is not contracted with Hearn, has been unhappy with the financial terms on the table for that Wembley date.
“There are four top players in the division now – and I’m one of them,” said Whyte, 30. “You can’t make Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury a certain offer, then make me a massively lowball offer. It makes no sense.
“I’m not a journeyman or a keep-busy fight. I’m a proper contender who is ranked number one by two governing bodies.
“I’m a massive star. I’ve had three pay-per-view fights. Deontay Wilder has had one, Tyson Fury has had two – Wladimir Klitschko has had one. I know what value I bring to the fight. I know the numbers because I manage myself.
“I know exactly what is happening with TV rights, you can’t play me as a fool. I’m not a Carlos Takam or Alexander Povetkin – those guys volunteer to fight.”
Whyte claims that Joshua will box for the first time in the States – against unbeaten Brooklyn boxer Jarrell Miller – instead of the scheduled April date.
“Joshua doesn’t want to fight,” said Whyte. “He wants to go to America and fight Miller. That is easy money, everyone likes a bit of easy money. I’d like a bit of easy money.
“One hundred per cent that was their plan the whole time. He [Joshua] has had two tough kind of fights and Miller is an easy fight. He has got no power but a good workrate. He is just a big cabbage and Joshua will punch him to bit.
“I can’t say what the offer I got was, I wish I could. But it was way lower than what Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury got offered. It was even lower than what Povetkin got.”
Whyte was in Las Vegas over the weekend to watch Manny Pacquiao’s points win over Adrien Broner at the MGM Grand.
But there were also reports he was talking to rival promoters.
Whyte knocked out Malcolm Tann in Lincoln, Nebraska in August 2017.
His record stands at 25-1. His only loss was at the hands of Joshua in 2015, but not before he had wobbled the Olympic golden boy for the first time in his career.
Hearn said: “He is a free agent. There are many of my fighters who I have a very good relationship with – who I presume I have trust with and do a great job for – that I work with on a fight-by-fight basis.
“[Tony] Bellew is another great example of that. I sometimes work on the proviso that if you don’t think I’m doing a great job for you and respect me, you’ll go.
“I think I’ve done a great job for him and I presume he thinks the same, but nothing surprises you in boxing. If he goes elsewhere, he goes elsewhere.
“If Dillian wants to go to Frank Warren or the BBC, then he’ll do it. We’ve done great business but it is a fight-by-fight because I just know we’ve delivered for him every time.
“If he wants me to put a contract down, I will. But it’s like Bellew, sometimes you have a stronger relationship with people you don’t have a contract with.
“I’ve never presented Dillian Whyte with a contract because we’ve got a good relationship.”
“He’s probably been invited out there by Showtime – he’s just done a fight with them. There are a few trying to court him – tickle his balls a little bit – he’s probably liking it.
“He’s got to number one in the WBC and WBO, mainly because of his wins, but I’ve made him millions of pounds on pay-per-views.
“The conflict will be that we’re trying to deliver him the Anthony Joshua fight.
“If he doesn’t think the terms are right he might get the hump. If he gets the hump, he might decide to f*** me off.
“If he f**** me off, I go to sleep and I sleep nine hours.”
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