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Manchester Evening News
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Josh Challies

Tyson Fury next fight explained with Dillian Whyte update and £15m Anthony Joshua offer

Tyson Fury's return to the ring isn't too far away now, although there is still some uncertainty surrounding who his opponent will be.

The Gypsy King's camp have been pushing for an end of March fight date, reserving a Saturday at Cardiff's Principality Stadium, but it seems extremely unlikely that will be used amid the lengthy delay to proceedings.

While the WBC has mandated Fury to defend his heavyweight title against Dillian Whyte, the two fighters have been unable to agree terms as of yet.

Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua's rematch with Oleksandr Usyk remains under scrutiny amid continued talk about the British Olympian stepping aside - and that could bring Fury into the picture.

Here's everything you need to know about the current situation.

Dillian Whyte purse bids

Purse bids for Fury's WBC mandated clash with Whyte have been pushed back no fewer than four occasions, with the latest date being Friday 28th Janaury.

Negotiations have so far failed to yield a result, with Whyte not happy with the 80-20 split in Fury's favour, while Fury's camp believe that's more than enough.

While Whyte continues to push for more, there is a danger that he could miss out entirely amid the unification fight talk with Oleksandr Usyk - though that would require Anthony Joshua to step aside.

Anthony Joshua offer

Since suffering defeat to Usyk, Joshua has exercised his rematch clause with the Ukrainian - but again, there's a significant lack of progress and questions continue to orientate about whether he will step aside.

A reported fee of £15m has been tabled, which would see Joshua then tackle the winner of a unification bout, but he bit back at reports that he had agreed to those terms.

Still, with no confirmation as of yet on his partnership with Rob McCracken ending, Joshua's ability to enter a fight of the magnitude with Usyk is under question.

It could be that Joshua does indeed step aside but Fury could still face Whyte in the meantime.

Eddie Hearn claim

Speaking on Thursday, promoter Eddie Hearn said: "Fury doesn't want to fight Usyk, in my opinion, because he had the opportunity to do it through these discussions and really, when it came down to it, he really don't want to," Eddie Hearn has claimed.

"What Fury really wants to do is have a really easy one in March, that's what he really wants to do. Now, he's going to have to fight Dillian Whyte and now, after all this kerfuffle, he'll get beat by Dillian Whyte, he'll get knocked out by Dillian Whyte.

"The reality is, when it really came down to it, he never wanted to fight Oleksandr Usyk because he could have gone straight into it but he didn't want to go straight into a fight with Usyk. But you won't ever hear that and the public won't ever hear that, you'll just hear Fury on Instagram screaming and shouting."

Tyson Fury gives update

Fury shared an update on his social media pages on Thursday, all but confirming Whyte as his next opponent.

"I can't wait to punch Dillian Whyte's face right in mate," he said. "I'm going to give him the best hiding he's ever had in his life boy. Dillian Whyte, train hard sucker because you're getting annihilated bum."

Alternative opponents

While Whyte remains the most likely opponent for Fury, alternative names have been touted - including Robert Helenius and Manuel Charr.

Both would allow Fury to be active before a unification bout, and still have his homecoming to a ring in the UK, but it would require a major shift.

Such a fight would have to see a complete breakdown in talks with Whyte, as well as Joshua vs Usyk pushing ahead.

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