DILLIAN WHYTE has taken legal action against the WBC over his mandatory title fight with Tyson Fury – after the Gypsy King agreed to fight Anthony Joshua.
Fury, 31, is the current holder of the WBC heavyweight belt, with Whyte his mandatory challenger.
But ever since Fury won the title, beating Deontay Wilder in February, there has been only talk of a third fight with the American and an all-British unification showdown with Joshua.
Last week, it was confirmed talks were progressing smoothly between AJ and Fury’s camps – with two fights in the pipeline, starting in 2021.
But Whyte has been left fuming after being overlooked yet again, seeking advice on his legal standpoint.
Whyte, 32, will have been the mandatory challenger for the WBC heavyweight crown for 1,000 days in July.
Most-recently, he secured his status as next in line with his win over Oscar Rivas – where he won via a unanimous decision at a career-heaviest 19st 5lbs.
Just last month, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman – who recently called this the “Golden Era” of heavyweight boxers – confirmed Whyte would have his shot at the title by February 2021 at the latest.
Sulaiman said: “[Whyte] is the mandatory contender. He’s the WBC ‘interim’ champion and the date that was set for the next mandatory is February 2021 – and that’s the way it stands right now.
“The WBC is going to look at every single weight category, with the championships and with the mandatories, and every single situation that has to do with each particular situation regarding this pandemic.
“But Dillian Whyte is the mandatory for February 2021.”
Last week, Sulaiman confirmed Whyte had instructed lawyers to instigate proceedings against the WBC.
Sulaiman called the WBC’s position “very clear” and “consistent”, saying he has “no idea what Whyte’s team are hoping to accomplish”.
At the time, Whyte called out Fury for a fight, insisting the Gypsy King was ducking him and hiding behind wanting a trilogy scrap with Wilder.
Whyte claimed: “[Fury] just needs to stop talking rubbish and let’s have a go. It will be a major fight. Let’s have it out.
“He’s the one that come out and said he beat me up in the gym and stuff like that.
“I can tell you now, that didn’t happen. I don’t like telling sparring stories, but people in the game know. They know about me.
“Well, me and Tyson Fury sparred and I bashed him about and dropped him on multiple occasions. Simple as that.
“If I was such an easy fight, why is he not in any rush to fight me? He said before beating Wilder, when I beat Wilder, I’m going to give Dillian Whyte his title shot. He just talks rubbish.
“This is war, let’s go.”
And now, Whyte and his team have been left angry with his promoter Eddie Hearn for his role in pushing for a Fury vs Joshua showdown.
Hearn represents both Whyte and Joshua, but actively pursued a fight between AJ and Fury immediately after the latter’s win over Wilder.
It was Hearn who first revealed talks over the proposed fights between Fury and Joshua last week.
