Frank Warren: I expect Dillian Whyte to sign up for Tyson Fury heavyweight showdown

Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren is confident that Dillian Whyte will go ahead with his world title shot against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

The 34-year-old South Londoner has been promoted by Matchroom Boxing since 2015 and has headlined a number of their pay-per-view shows.

Warren’s Queensberry Promotions won the rights to stage the Fury-Whyte bout when it went to purse bids at the WBC’s headquarters in Mexico City last weekend.

Whyte will earn a minimum of £6million with around another £2m as a bonus paid to the winner.

Queensberry have bid £31m – £7m more than Matchroom – and Warren is confident it is a career-high payday for the Brixton puncher, who has not fought since knocking out Alexander Povetkin in four rounds in March.

Whyte has made no public statement since the purse bid results were announced.

Asked if he was worried that Whyte might not sign a contract to face Fury, Warren told iFL TV: “Why wouldn’t he go through with it? Why is he not going to fight for a guarantee of just under $8m and a bonus of $4m? This is huge money. If he wins the fight then it is a better split than 80-20.

“I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t fight. It is huge money for him and he’s getting his fight, it’s going to be in the UK and before a lot of fans. Depending on the outcome and how the fight pans out, he might get a new legion of fans.

“I’m quite sure he’ll be professional and work to make it a success story.”

Whyte and Warren have sparked in the past.

But the legendary fight figure claims that should not be an issue.

“I’ve never had a relationship with him – we all have back and forth in boxing,” said Warren.

“We’re not getting married – it’s a business transaction. We’re paying a lot of money to him to ensure he co-operates to make it a success. I fail to understand why he would do anything different.

“Thank god we did bid. He’d have been getting two million less if he was fighting for Matchroom.

“Dillian has got his dream. He has been wishing for a world title shot and he’s been waiting 1,000 days [to get it] for some strange reason.”

Whyte will go into the contest as an underdog and has also been inactive, making just two ring outings since the end of 2019.

Fury had produced two thrilling victories over Deontay Wilder to underline he and Ukraine’s Alexander Usyk are the leading lights in the division.

“He’s got to take it to Tyson – if he stands off Tyson he’ll get his head boxed off,” said Warren.

“Tyson is no slouch himself – he can fight and he can adapt to whatever the situation is.

“I do fancy Tyson and I think he will prevail. He can outpunch and outbox him, he’s got a good chin. Everyone seems to think Tyson can’t whack but look at how many people he has stopped. Go and ask Deontay Wilder if he can punch.”