Dillain Whyte article from Steve Bunce about being stitched up.

Used to like him but agreed.

 

To be fair, £5 million is a good amount to make for Whyte to fight Joshua and I remember watching an interview with him in IFL where he admitted it wasn't the £5 million that he didn't like. It was the fact that in the terms if he won he had to give Joshua a 50/50 split in the rematch and he said himself he would rather wait until the fight is called by governing bodies and take a lower offer so that he doesn't have to give Joshua a rematch clause should he win.

While AJ is the larger drawer of revenue for the fight, if Whyte has confidence in his abilities and ends up KOing Joshua like he may think he can, then why should Joshua get a 50/50 split in rematch if Whyte was 4 belt World Champion and Joshua has no titles. Whyte is a PPV UK fighter and so £5 million for a UK superfight does seem a little low.

 

Joshua is the champ and can dictate the terms for a voluntary defence, especially to a guy he's already knocked out. Whyte is in no position to negotiate as he found out. He now finds himself in limbo, with no opponent lined up for his July 13th date. He could have been fighting Joshua next weekend (for the "paltry" £5m). His decision to walk away looks like a very bad one.

 

I like Whyte, but lets be real. He went life and death with Chisora twice and a chronically fatigued/sub par Parker. Fury will box his ears off, Joshua will KO him with little fuss, Miller will eat him for breakfast. Thus Whyte is simply doing what he should be doing, whinging and complaining until he gets a crack at Wilder, the only option he has a realistic chance of beating. Or hell, id pay to see Whyte vs Chisora 3, or Whyte vs Parker 2 for that matter.

 

Anyone interested in seeing the interview with Bunce and then Suliman excerpts are featured in this documentary about Dillian Whyte.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/newsb...e-fighting-to-be-champ-a-newsbeat-documentary

 

The problem with bringing value to a uk fight is that it's a market that AJ is already close to maxing out whomever the opponent. So sure Whyte would ensure a sell out and higher PPV rev, but there's not enough of an increase available in a fixed market to justify a much bigger fee, unless AJ takes a paycut, which he has little incentive to do?

I don't blame Whyte for turning the fight down, because I think AJ beats him, at which point he's going to lose much of the momentum he's been building. Whyte has a good chance against many of the other contenders, e hw scene is starting to take off and if he could get the wbc fight a chance at adding a zero to his salary.

So no complaints for turning down the title shot, but don't whinge about it. You decided to go another way, so do it and get that mandatory status that will give you greater leverage in negotiations.

 

A lot of what you say is fairly true, but you can't deny that the champs do see Whyte as a huge threat, and their actions and behavior are highly indicative of that. If you are going to lowball someone, when there is plenty ....and i mean PLENTY of cash in the pot then clearly you are trying to dissuade the other party from signing.

Furthermore, if you are already wanting a large slice of the rematch if you lose, then clearly you got serious doubts on your mind.

Also, if you are going to text someone and say "even if you become mandatory I'll make you wait the full two years" clearly you threatneded by the challenge presented in Whyte.

The AJ/Whyte fight could have been made easily, but AJ made it very difficult. The promotion was built up LONG in advance, and Wembley was booked LONG in advance, and Whyte did his part by making it past Chisora, as Sky/ Matchroom wanted.

Nobody talks more **** on the internet than you Infini IV

 

You say there's plenty of cash in the post, but in a domestic AJ title fight, how much of that cash is already there irrespective of Whyte's involvement?

 

At the end of the day, no one can deny Wilder and Joshua are threatened by Whyte who stands to upset their possible unification. Wilder would happily lose to AJ and vice versa, if there is a rematch clause and lots of money in the pot. Essentially selling their belts to each other for a huge price should they lose.

The sanctioning bodies really need to be better regulated, mandatories should be taken within a 12 month period no matter what with no workarounds. Everyone in the roster for each sanctioning body should be given a chance to climb the ladder and get a guaranteed shot at the champion, none of this protecting the champion ****. I agree the champion should have some advantages regarding splits, rematch clause and the likes..... but champions should be forced to fight the next best contender.

 

AJ is a large draw I agree, but Dillian has built enough of a presence in the market to add to that value significantly.. The narrative was promoted to death, and it would have made for a great dust off in the public view.

Miller is not the equivalent of Dillian in terms of draw, either in the UK or in the US. And how is Fury that more deserving to warrant a purse split that is almost 4 times what Whyte was offered.

 

I don't think there was a massive appetite in the UK for AJ v Whyte 2, although I concede it would've done decent numbers because Whyte can talk the talk and there was a useful backstory to help sell it also.

Fury would be much bigger news than Whyte, biggest UK fight ever. That may be unfair on Whyte but it's just the way it is. Joshua v Fury is a far bigger fight.

The difference with Miller is he brings new money, a chance to tap US market funds rather than keep on drawing on the UK well, which was perhaps showing signs of slowing if not running dry in the Povetkin ticket sales.

 

You're only worth what someone is prepared to pay. Bottom line is Whyte should have swallowed his pride and taken the fight. I know you're biased, but surely even you can see that? He could have been fighting Joshua next weekend, instead he's got to wait until July (while earning nothing) and still doesn't have an opponent lined up. Meanwhile, Joshua, Wilder and Fury will have moved on and likely be negotiating their next fights. Whyte has put himself out of the picture for the foreseeable future. That's not a good move however way you want to spin it.

 

I don't see how Fury would have been that much bigger than Whyte, both would have sold out Wembley. Fury may have produced more PPV sales but not by much. After 2018, I believe you are underestimating how popular Whyte has become since.

Whyte has brought back the Gladiator feel to boxing combat, people relish highlight KO reels, and Whyte will have left a mark on all pundits, casuals and purists. Fury is BORING as ****, anyone attending his fights either doze off, or end up fighting in the crowd themselves. He is not as entertaining, maybe to you and a select few.... but to the majority of pundits who like knockouts and entertaining fights... Whyte is head and shoulders above.

Yeah I am not sold on AJ breaking the US market with the likes of Miller, We'll see... but I doubt it. Wilder is unknown, Miller is even less known.

Whyte vs AJ is what the UK crowd at O2 arena chanted for.

 

We will have to agree to differ on the Fury point, to me it's clear as day that AJ v Fury is a far, far bigger fight in the UK market than AJ v Whyte but I don't have any real evidence to put forward.

 

You are biased from an average joe of the street, never made a million in their life, kind of perspective. Someone drops 5 million on your lap you will be prepared to suck *****.

As for Dillian Whyte, he grew up in the game, knows the business, knows the numbers... the promotions... the splits... the market value. He knows he is worth more, and every promoter knows a flat fee means jack and **** when you don't know what the other fighter is getting.

Fortunatelly, being so close to matchroom... Whyte know's the in's and out's and knew what was on the table. He ain't rolling over for 20 per cent of the pot, and less than 50 per cent on the rematch if he wins. That is pathetic business value for what he brings, and who he is. There aren't many contenders out there in the division let alone the UK to warrant sold old Wembley arenas and millions in PPV Sales.

If anything, AJ sshould have taken the easy money, but he is threatened so went with noname nobody Miller.

In my field of work I know my worth, based on my skill set and my experience. If another newbie got started he would happily take half of what I earn and wouldn't negotiate more.... in their eyes its a lot.