By Sean Nam
Jan 15, 2022 Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
Eddie Hearn firmly believes his long-aggrieved heavyweight client, Dillian Whyte, will get a better financial deal in a purse bid for his mandated shot against British countryman Tyson Fury, the WBC titlist, than one that is proffered by Fury’s promoter.
The WBC recently ordered an 80/20 split in favor of Fury, who is promoted by Bob Arum of Top Rank and Frank Warren of Queensberry A purse bid was scheduled for Jan. 11 but has been pushed back at least a week so that Whyte could appeal the terms of the split. Whyte is also in separate litigation with the organization.
Whyte also turned down Top Rank’s reported initial offer of a $5.5 million guarantee against a 25% split, contending that he wanted a guarantee closer to $10 million, according to Arum, leaving both parties in somewhat of a limbo. Arum has said that he expects Fury to fight in the spring, regardless of the situation with Whyte. Hearn has little faith that dealing directly with Top Rank will lead to a satisfactory monetary outcome for Whyte (28-2, 19KOs), although the Matchroom Boxing head is hopeful that the WBC will reconsider what his team feels is an unfair split.
“Whatever final ruling on the split is the final ruling on the split and we proceed and – I don’t see a deal being done at 80/20,” Hearn told IFL TV. “So I see it just goes to purse bids. I can’t see a deal being agreed that way (directly through Top Rank). Therefore, we have to put a value on that fight and bid accordingly, and so do Top Rank, and anybody else that wants to bid, maybe someone else bids crazy for that fight.”
“If I’m Dillian Whyte I’m not accepting an 80/20 split. Now you have to accept that split via purse bid, but you’re going to get a much better deal financially via purse bid right now compared to what — because I will make sure that he does.”
Hearn, however, conceded that in the event that his bid is lower than that of, say, Top Rank, his client will be left to make a hard decision. The frustrated Whyte has been the number one contender in the WBC rankings for more than three years but was never named a mandatory until recently.
“Now, obviously if the offer outweighs what we would bid for that fight then [Whyte] has to seriously consider that and he might be looking to take that offer,” Hearn said. “I don’t believe that he will. Our offer financially may be better than what he’s being offered at the moment.”
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