TYSON FURY and Dillian Whyte have until 6pm TODAY to agree a deal before purse bids are called by the WBC.
Whyte has been mandated for Fury’s famous green and gold heavyweight belt, but their opposing team have failed so far to reach an agreement.
Without a deal, the title fight will go to purse bids, which means whoever offers the highest amount will win the right to stage the bout.
So far, the WBC have delayed the purse bids three times following a request from representatives of both Fury and Whyte.
But as it stands, without a deal by this evening, it will go to purse bids where Fury’s US and UK promoters Bob Arum and Frank Warren will auction against Eddie Hearn.
After Whyte, 33, was officially ordered into his long-awaited world title shot, the WBC announced he would only receive a 20 per cent share of any earnings, if it went to purse bids.
But the fuming contender appealed and argued his ‘interim’ belt warrants up to a 45 per cent.
And all Whyte protested his potential split, Fury, 33, has been in negotiations for an undisputed title decider with Oleksandr Usyk in the Middle East.
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It complicates matters as Usyk, 34, is contracted to an immediate rematch with Anthony Joshua, 32, who he dethroned of the WBA, IBF and WBO belts in September.
For the unification to get the green light, both AJ and Whyte would need to receive a fee to sit out.
Joshua’s figure is believed to be £15m while Whyte’s is £5m.
Although AJ did recently deny reports he had accepted a step aside deal, but did not rule it out either.
He said: “I’m hearing people saying: ‘AJ accepts £15m to step aside’. I ain’t signed no contract; I ain’t seen no contract.
“So as it stands, stop listening to the bulls*** until it comes from me.
“I’m the man in control of my own destiny, I’m the man that handles my business.”
Fury later said on social media: “Tick, tick, tock. Is Whyte going to fight me? Is Joshua going to step aside?
“Let me know because I am sick of looking at these bums. I am sick of listening to their excuses.”
With the WBC’s purse bids due to be called in a matter of hours, promoters would need to have the step-aside fees accepted so that the unification could supersede the mandatory defence.
If AJ and Whyte fail to accept a deal by the time purse bids are called today, hopes of a historic, first-ever four-belt heavyweight unification will all but collapse.
