Whyte denies faking shoulder injury to set up Fury title fight

Dillian Whyte has denied claims he faked an injury to put himself on course for a heavyweight title fight with Tyson Fury.

Whyte was due to defend his World Boxing Council interim title against Sweden’s Otto Wallin at the O2 Arena this Saturday but withdrew because of a shoulder injury six days ago.

Wallin and his promoter, Dmitry Salita, insisted the fight should be rescheduled, but Whyte said: “I was training, I was ready, I was prepared, spent a fortune on training camp. All he [Wallin] does is cry. Him and Salita cry like babies.

“We suffered the injury. You’ve got professional people on your team. These guys are the brain guys, the surgeons and the doctors, and they told me, ‘If you fight, you’re going to risk your career’.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn insisted Whyte was not contractually obliged to reschedule the fight.

Whyte, asked if he would take a fight with WBC champion Fury instead, said: “Yes, of course. Fury’s got the world title and that’s what I’ve been waiting for. Fight Otto Wallin or fight Tyson Fury, what are you going to do? It’s common sense. I’m scared of no one. I wanted to fight.

“I think they’re going to mandate me versus Tyson Fury, they’ve basically said it already. I want it to be in the UK. This is the biggest all-british heavyweight title fight since Lennox Lewis versus Frank Bruno.”

Mauricio Sulaiman, the president of the WBC, had said that Fury, who beat Deontay Wilder earlier this month, had to schedule an undisputed match-up with Oleksandr Usyk, holder of the International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organisation belts, within 30 days, or face the interim champion.

However, Anthony Joshua, who last night suggested he might expand his coaching team “to get some new teachings”, has already triggered a rematch clause with Usyk and they will meet next March or April. Prior to that, the contest between Whyte and Wallin had been announced.

Whyte will be out of action for six weeks due to the shoulder injury.