DILLIAN WHYTE has been told by Bob Arum to ‘quit screwing around’ and agree to fight Tyson Fury.
The WBC recently ordered Fury to defend his heavyweight title against mandatory challenger Whyte.
But they later confirmed the percentage of any purse split would be 80 per cent in the champion’s favour.
Fuming Whyte has since protested the decision and is appealing it, pushing back the dates of the purse bids.
But American Hall of Famer Arum and promoter Frank Warren are ready to offer the British contender a mega-money fee and put the row to bed.
He told Sky Sports: “If he wants the fight and stops messing around, he can get a good payday and prove that he is of a world-class calibre by taking on Fury.
“We’d like to do that fight. It’s a good fight for the UK.
“Whyte should sit down with myself and Frank Warren and work out a deal for a guarantee, and we’ll get this show on the road.
“Come to the table and let’s see if we can carve out a real deal. Let’s quit screwing around.
“I don’t know Dillian but I would think he wants the fight. I don’t know his psyche.
“Let’s let Oleksandr Usyk fight Anthony Joshua, which is contracted, and let’s get Fury to fight Whyte.”
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed the splits were determined following a review of Fury and Whyte’s recent paydays.
Sulaiman told BoxingScene: “The consideration for the 80/20 split comes from the purses the fighters have earned in their recent fights.”
Whyte had hoped for a 45 per cent split due to his status as WBC ‘interim’ champ.
But Fury’s superior profile has seen the WBC award him the lion’s share of the potential fight purse.
With the pay percentage set to go to arbitration, it leaves the chances of negotiating a fee outside of purse bids unlikely.
If it does reach that stage, the highest bidder among interested parties will win the rights to stage the fight.
Should opposing promotional teams fail to strike a deal outside of purse bids, and Whyte rejects the 20 per cent cut, Fury could look elsewhere.
Arum has already named ex-champion Andy Ruiz Jr and Robert Helenius as alternate opponents in the running.
Ruiz, 32, is most commonly remembered for beating Joshua, also 32, in June 2019, but losing the rematch six months later.
Helenius, 37, is on a three-fight win streak, with his last two coming against Adam Kownacki, 32.
But ultimately, the man himself will have the final say if No1 target Whyte falls through.
Arum said: “That is up to Tyson. We have discussed other opponents.”
March 26 has been pencilled in as Fury’s homecoming – his first fight in the UK since 2018.
But Arum warned: “If the fight is a week later or two weeks later? It’s not the end of the world.”
- What do we know so far about Fury vs Whyte? All the date, venue and TV info as it is revealed
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