Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte kept it light as they faced off for the last time Friday before their WBC heavyweight title fight, turning their official weigh-in into a dance party and exchanging pleasantries throughout the event.
When the two meet inside the ring Saturday (2 p.m., ESPN+), Fury promises it will be different.
“Don’t doubt us, we’re going to put a show on, like no other before,” Fury said at the final press conference. “It’s going to be a war, don’t worry about that.”
Fury (31-0-1), who is fighting an opponent other than former champion Deontay Wilder for the first time since 2019, is defending his WBC belt and has repeatedly claimed this will be his last fight before retiring. Most are skeptical of that declaration, particularly before he gets the chance to fight Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBO and IBF world titles, to become undisputed champion,
Whyte (28-2) has not fought since March 2021, when he found revenge in a rematch versus Alexander Povetkin. The power-puncher has previously sparred with Fury earlier in his career, and the two have long respected each other.
“Dillian Whyte is a good fighter,” the 33-year-old Fury said. “He is a good, strong, solid man. He’s big, he’s strong [and] he’s tough. He’s game, he’s got good power. He has knocked out a lot of men. He has had a good learning career, as well. He’s got a lot of experience in the fight game. He’s definitely a man that needs a lot of respect.”
The 34-year-old Whyte, following a pattern that has been consistent throughout his career, was absent for much of the pre-fight build up and promotion, reportedly upset about the financial breakdown of the fight agreement. He notably skipped the kickoff press conference in February and the open workout last week, leaving Fury to promote the fight himself.
Regardless, it will be the biggest fight in English history, as the two British fighters will be in front of an U.K. record 94,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London.
“There was no strategy [in skipping events]” Whyte said. “There are two sides to his story. You only hear one side of the story because one side says a lot of things. Because I didn’t say anything, everyone was saying ‘you’re scared’ and ‘you’re hiding.’ I ain’t scared of s–t. I ain’t hiding from s–t. Stuff needed to get done.”
Fury, at 6’9”, has a significant height and reach advantage over Whyte, who stands at 6’4”. Whyte weighed in at 253 pounds, six pounds heavier than his previous bout with Povetkin. The champion weighed in at 264 pounds, which was actually 13 pounds lighter than his weight during his final fight against Wilder, a change he credits to his ability to have a longer training camp this time around.
Still, it leaves Fury with an 11-pound advantage over Whyte. The bulked-up Whyte will likely attempt to follow his “body-snatcher” moniker and try to bully The Gypsey King inside, attacking his torso and keeping within close proximity to mitigate Fury’s reach advantage.
Whyte has frustratingly waited for this opportunity and this stage, long feeling slighted in the division despite his achievements inside the ring. Fury looks to potentially cap off a legendary career with a signature victory in front of his home crowd.
Both promise a show worthy of the intrigue.
“It’s been an amazing journey,” Fury said. “From where I started all those years ago to the ups and downs and being away from boxing and being fat as f–k, 28 stone. To coming back and being mentally out, a druggie and an alcoholic—all of the rest of the stuff—I’m not ashamed of it. It’s a part of who I am.
“To coming back and getting back to the top of the world and having three big fights with Deontay Wilder over there in the U.S., and now being back in England after all these years, four years away, and now I’m fighting my old pal Dillian Whyte back at home for all the glory and all the belts. Who would have thought it? We’re looking forward to an awesome, memorable night. This will break all records.”
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