Dillian Whyte on Monday signed the contract for his WBC heavyweight title fight versus Tyson Fury on April 23 at London's Wembley Stadium, and the fight was made official by Top Rank on Friday.
Whyte signed the deal hours ahead of the organization's midnight CT deadline to keep the bout intact.
There remains one issue related to Whyte's contract that the WBC has been asked to rule on, sources said. Still, Whyte's signature on the dotted line concludes weeks of drama and uncertainty surrounding the lead-up to another anticipated Fury fight.
"Tyson Fury coming home to fight under the arch at Wembley Stadium is a fitting reward for the No.1 heavyweight in the world following his exploits across the Atlantic in his epic trilogy against Deontay Wilder," promoter Frank Warren said Friday in a statement. "The fact that this mandatory defense of his WBC title comes against another Brit only adds to the occasion. They are two of the biggest characters in British sport and both normally have plenty to say for themselves.
"It is going to be an incredible night and a huge occasion for sport in this country that will capture the imagination of fans right across the world."
Whyte, sources said, asked to participate in the financial upside of the event in exchange for promoting the fight. The bout, an ESPN pay-per-view in the United States, is expected to sell out the 90,000-seat stadium. Fury-Whyte will be a BT Sport pay-per-view in the United Kingdom.
The 34-year-old Whyte, who is usually media friendly and active on social channels, has been practically silent, even in the face of Fury's taunts, since promoter Frank Warren won the rights to the fight with a record $41,025,000 bid at last month's auction.
"I can't wait to punch Dillian Whyte's face right in, mate," Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) said last month. "I'm going to give him the best hiding he's ever had in his life. Dillian Whyte, train hard, sucker, because you're getting annihilated, bum."
Fury, the champion, will earn $29,538,000. Whyte, the WBC's longtime No. 1 contender, will make $7,384,500. A bonus of $4,102,500 will go to the winner, 10% of the winning bid, per WBC rules.
Even with a career-high payday and his long-awaited title shot secured, Whyte pushed for more. Perhaps the long delay to sign the contract was simply Whyte's way of playing mind games, but now he'll have to find a way to win the biggest fight of his life.
Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) was the WBC's No. 1 contender for more than 1,000 days without a title shot before he was upset by Alexander Povetkin in August 2020. Whyte avenged the knockout with a TKO of Povetkin in March 2021 to regain his status as the WBC's No. 1 contender. ESPN's No. 6 heavyweight, Whyte is arguably the most accomplished active boxer to never receive a title shot. He owns wins over Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora along with a TKO loss to Anthony Joshua in 2015.
The bout against Whyte, a fellow Englishman, will be Fury's first in the U.K. since an August 2018 win over Francesco Pianeta. That was Fury's second comeback fight, after he relinquished his unified heavyweight championship as he struggled with substance abuse and depression.
A win over Whyte would once again set up Fury, 33, for a fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Oleksandr Usyk and Joshua are expected to meet again in the spring in the U.K., and whoever emerges with three titles could meet Fury later this year.