Dillian Whyte worried Tyson Fury will duck WBC title fight

Dillian Whyte is worried that Tyson Fury will give his WBC title rather than defend it against him.

Editor’s note: This article originally was published on DAZN.com.

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Dillian Whyte says he hopes Tyson Fury won’t be a “coward” and duck out of a WBC title fight.

Whyte is scheduled to defend his “interim” title against Alexander Povetkin at Fight Camp on Saturday in Brentwood, England. A victory would set up a fight between the winner of Fury vs. Deontay Wilder III.

Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren has suggested that any match-up between his fighter and Whyte is not under consideration because he wants to set up a title-unification clash between Fury and Anthony Joshua.

The WBC have confirmed that the next fight for the victor of Fury-Wilder would have to be against Whyte, and the Jamaican-born Briton criticized the pair on Wednesday afternoon when speaking to the press.

“Frank Warren can say whatever he wants, he says a lot of things,” Whyte said. “I think the WBC have come out and said it for the first time. They can’t go back on their word. I don’t think they would want the embarrassment that comes with that, and rightly so.

“It’s not like I haven’t earned it. It’s been almost three years now.”

Whyte, 32, then turned his attention to Fury and accused him of reneging on fighting him.

“He hasn’t been honurable to me at all. One minute he says he’ll fight me, the next he’s saying he won’t,” Whyte said. “Tyson talks a lot of rubbish. He says whatever he thinks. He doesn’t stick to anything he says. He’ll say one thing today, another tomorrow. His mind is like the wind, always changing.”

Warren has floated a potential clash between Whyte and another of his boxers, Daniel Dubois, and Whyte gave the suggestion short shrift.

“Frank needs to stay off the liquor,” he said. “He’s just trying to deviate from the Tyson Fury fight. Why would I fight Daniel Dubois when I am eligible for the WBC title?

“Daniel Dubois brings nothing whatsoever to the table. There’s no reason for me to fight him. They’re just trying to throw some bait out there for me to bite.”

Fury would have to give up his title if he doesn’t fight Whyte. If that happens, Whyte believes he should be elevated to champion, but he’d prefer to win the title in the ring.

“If they strip him, I shouldn’t have to fight anyone for the title because I’m interim champion,” he said. “I’ve had enough fights to justify being a world champion. I want to fight Tyson Fury. He says he’s the best heavyweight alive, and he’s the best heavyweight to walk the planet, and I want to fight the best.

“Hopefully he’s going to be a man of his word, not be a coward and vacate the belt.”