Dillian Whyte 'signs deal' hours before deadline to fight heavyweight champion Tyson Fury

Undefeated WBC belt-holder slated to defend crown against Whyte in London on April 23

Dillian Whyte has reportedly put pen-to-paper to fight WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in April 2022. PA

Tyson Fury’s heavyweight title defence against Dillian Whyte appears to be on after both boxers reportedly signed contracts to fight in England in April.

A number of news outlets reported early on Tuesday that contracts had been lodged to the WBC hours before the organisation’s deadline. According to ESPN, the pair will clash for Fury’s WBC crown at Wembley Stadium in London on April 23.

However, the same report claimed there did remain one outstanding issue to resolve, in relation to Whyte’s contract. The Brit, whose professional record reads 28-2, is the WBC’s interim champion having defeated Alexander Povetkin in their rematch last March. Whyte was the longstanding No 1 mandatory challenger.

Fury, meanwhile, is undefeated in his 32 pro bouts, with his most recent fight in October – the knockout victory in the trilogy against Deontay Wilder – lifting his record to 31 wins and a solitary draw.

Fury, 33, has spent the past few weeks calling out Whyte on social media and in the press, labelling Whyte a “coward” in an interview with The National in Dubai earlier this month.

“And I ain’t got no time for cowards,” Fury added.

The bout against Whyte will mark Fury's first in the UK since August 2018. Should the Englishman emerge victorious, then he will most probably compete next for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Oleksandr Usyk, the current WBA, IBF and WBO belt-holder, is expected to rematch Anthony Joshua in April or May, also in England.

Last month, Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren won the rights to stage the encounter between his client and Whyte, with a record $42 million purse bid. Fury is understood to receive almost $30m of that, with Whyte taking home a little more than $7m. A bonus of $4m goes to the winner.

Asked by The National this month what sort of threat Whyte would pose, Fury said: “Nothing. The guy’s a bum. None of these fights turn me on any more. Not one of them. It’s just a boxing match to me now.

“Even the Wilder fights didn’t really get me up for the fights. It’s just a boxing match these days. I don’t have any specific reason for doing it. I do it because I can and it’s easy. That’s it.”

Fury vs Wilder III