Fury-Whyte in limbo / Ruiz, Helenius in the mix

A $10 million purse demand by WBC mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte is not sitting well with Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, who co-promotes WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. “We have offered him a deal with 25 percent and a guarantee and let him negotiate from that, but again he says he wants eight-figures, over ten million, which is out of the question. I don’t know what he is talking about,” Arum told IFL TV. “The WBC will be talking about 25 percent and 75 percent for the champion but he needs to come to the table with a normal type of negotiation.”

With Whyte currently tied up in an arbitration proceeding with the WBC, Arum stated that Andy Ruiz and Robert Helenius are “the two principal guys” he and Frank Warren are considering as Fury’s next challenger.

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  • Forget Whyte the hype job, rather see Helenius get the shot tbh, As for Ruiz he should have his eye set on a fight with Joshua a 3rd time.
    Fury in 2!

      • “Helenius, the guy that Whyte already beat easily?”

        True enough, but I think Helenius is back in form now, back where he was before he got hurt ten years ago. Whyte would be easy pickings for Fury. Helenius just might knock him out – and Fury might knock out Helenius. It would be a good one.

        I think Fury would also handle Ruiz very easily.

  • I don’t think he even comes close to winning it, but it would be nice to see a guy like Helenius get a shot at the title.

  • Whyte is a nut job who may deny himself the opportunity to be champ. Win the title first and then you can start making demands

  • Fury vs Whyte is rather a stagnant matchup in my opinion. Yes, I realize subsequent rankings keep fighters in-line to fight for a title, but this fight is by no means a barn burner/big ticket seller. Rather a sparring session for Fury to use his long reach and pick Whyte apart and then it falls to a corner stoppage or KO. Fury would not even need to use the boring technique of holding all the time like he does on the inside the majority of the time. One thing we do know is…If Fury is not mentally or physically ready for any fight, he will simply delay it a few more months. Please keep that variable back in your mind as well.

  • I guess Bob arum hasn’t been around much Jamaicans, that is how they are bold as hell, but then why not less accomplished fighters have fought for more .

  • It’s amazing how everyone takes Arum a habitual liar at his word. The way this works in reality is that it goes to a purse bid, whoever wins it stages the fight if Whyte won’t take it then he loses his shot. Helenius and Ruiz are both laughable. If he doesn’t have to fight Whyte see if AJ takes the step aside money and go for the Usyk unification.

    Fury might want to load up on the boar meat before that task though, so hence the desire to face inferior opposition.

  • I am a big Fury man but there is something “hard work” about his negotiations. Whyte can ask for whatever he wants Hearn knows he will have to yield or not get his shot. Nobody wants Fury to vacate obviously because of the Unification nonsense but it’s all got a bit drab. Nobody wants Usyk Joshua 2 these rematch clauses have to stop they are for outsiders getting a shot they don’t deserve Usyk deserved it. Stop blocking up the fucking division.

    • Totally agree. The heavyweight division has been handcuffed at the top by rematch clauses. What surprises me is Whyte has demands for a purse bid with a minimum. Let the market pay you what it will if you won’t accept guaranteed money. I personally think a purse bid would wind up pretty lucrative, but it isn’t ever guaranteed.

  • Whyte seems to be doing what Joshua did with Wilder several years ago when his promoter demanded too much for Joshua’s percentage cut so that Wilder deal kept falling through. It was merely used as an excuse to avoid fighting Wilder. The fight we all want is Usyk-Fury not Whyte seeing being totally outclassed by Fury.

  • Whyte is either a big gooberhead and/or he is scared to fight.

    I hope they find another opponent (maybe Ruiz) for Fury. Ruiz better get ready because you never know what may happen during omicron and during contractual blizzards.

    I hope Whyte saved his money and is planning proper financial strategies because he may piss off some key folks in the boxing community.

  • That’s just plain stupid on Whyte’s part. I mean he got knocked out cold recently, then stopped a poorly sick Povetkin who got the Coronavirus. Greed is so important for people these days smh

  • I find a Ruiz-Fury match more interesting anyway to be honest (assuming Ruiz actually gets motivated and in shape for it)

    • To me, Ruiz is the least attractive fight of the ones mentioned. Fury beats him stupid 100 times out of 100. Helenius makes an interesting stay-busy fight, but doesn’t pose any real threat to Fury. Whyte is the most dangerous of those guys. Joe Joyce would be another decent match-up, but given he’s an undefeated UK guy, he might be better advised to win a couple more and earn a much bigger purse in a legit feature fight.

  • Fury is the top dog right now! I think Deontay is the only other heavyweight in his league, and not really even in the same league! Whyte doesn’t deserve the shot, Ruiz possible but it should be Fury vs Joshua! I’m a big 1980’s Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis, and of course the great Ali. Bit in all honesty Fury would beat them all!!!! He’s got that knowledge and ring smarts, he’s probably the greatest of all times in the heavyweight division!!!

      • They arent replying because Usyk will end Tysons reign ,Usyk is way more technical than Fury and his footwork is eons ahead of Furys…I think Usyk might even be able to stop Fury.

    • Even a young Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe I believe would have defeated Tyson Fury. And this is coming from a guy that didn’t like Fury to begin with, but now does.

  • If anyone deserves to fight Fury, it’s Otto Wallin.
    The man took Fury life or death and I think that it would be a much more interesting fight than Dilian Whyte.

  • Povetkin twice, Marius Wach, Oscar Rivas, Chisora. Parker, Lucas Browne and a man some are touting as more deserving Robert Helenius…these are Whyte’s last 8 fights. Forget that he lost one by a perfect punch, because he avenged it in his very next fight. NOBODY in the Division is a more deserving Mandatory than Dillian Whyte! You would be hard pressed to find a more deserving Mandatory in any Division!

    As for his asking price: I believe it’s too high, but he is deserving of more than 25%, especially if the fight is in England (as it should be).

    Stylistically, I would favor Fury, but Whyte has as good a chance of beating him as anyone on the Division right now. He’s naturally bigger and stronger than Wilder and has real power too. He’s actually a more technical boxer than Wilder and has fought the better opponents. Anything over 3 to 1 and it might be worth taking a flyer on him to win. And I do think this would be an entertaining scrap.

    • I agree with you.. Fury is #1 followed by Usyk. The only other guys you’d have above Whyte are Joshua and Wilder. He’s the legit 5th guy and the only available fighter that makes sense. Maybe Joe Joyce fits, but that’s it. No one else is deserving. But if he won’t make the fight for financial reasons, what can you do? He’s never gonna be a marquee challenger due to the fact he’s taken a few beats already. Unless he can get a belt, he’s not a €10mm single-fight fighter. With a belt? Sure. But without it, no way.

  • who prices themselves out of a shot at the heavyweight world championship when you were brutally koed 2 fights ago. Whyte is a complete dosser

  • As Interim champ he is entitled to 45% split as per WBC rules, not sure how that translates to 10 million. Also depends on the network, if on DAZN no PPV Percentage points just a flat fee so Bob may not be comparing apples with apples.

  • Helenius deserves to get paid. He rid the sport of that fat gross fool Kowanoski. Fat fighters not needed. Ruiz either. He is simply fat and sloppy. Done with excuses. Helenius actually thinks in the ring. He loses fairly and will knock you out given a chance. He is what boxing is all about. He won when he was brought in as a building block for fat Kowanaski who was touted for his baby face , fat body and ability to absorb punches. He avsorbed a few and his fat dumb seld could not even get in shape for the rematch that would have kept his kids from poverty. He is a chump.Go Helenius.

    • Kurtis thats gross ragging on Kownacki. The man went out on his shield no quit in him. I have a soft spot for roid free natural fighters.
      Hollyfield was buying HGH by the bucket under the name Evan Fields.

      • Is that real? If so, he might’ve wanted to use a better pseudonym. It would be like Deontay Wilder oh-so-cleverly calling himself Deon Wild.

  • Who would watch a Ruiz Fury fight, I’d Ruiz absolutely no chance in hell winning that one

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