Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference LIVE: Champion taunts challenger after no-show
The Britons will clash on 23 April at Wembley Stadium, where today’s press conference took place
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 was 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.
Fury gave his opponent a new nickname today, however, labelling him “Frillian White Knickers” as Whyte missed 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.”
Re-live updates from the first Fury vs Whyte pre-fight press conference, below.
Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference
Some fighting talk from Fury, who’s now standing up, and it requires some censoring!
Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference
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
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
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
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
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
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
Dillian Whyte is not present.
Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte press conference
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
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.
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