Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren has claimed that Dillian Whyte's wishes to fight the WBC champion hold no sway.
Whyte was set for a November rematch with Alexander Povetkin after the Russian beat him in the summer at Eddie Hearn’s Fight Camp series, with Povetkin becoming the WBC mandatory challenger as a result.
However Povetkin has since had to pull out of that fight for the time being due to a positive coronavirus test result, and Hearn suggested that Whyte could instead face Fury.
Fury is expected to face Agit Kabayel on December 5 after failing to agree a fight with Deontay Wilder, but the bout has yet to be confirmed.
However, speaking on British radio station talkSPORT, Warren explained that there would be little reason for Fury’s camp to indulge Whyte’s request.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Dillian Whyte get absolutely poleaxed in his last fight?” he asked.
“At that time, he was the mandatory challenger to Tyson, he kept going on about it, he was going to sue everybody. Then stupidly, they put him in with Povetkin and he poleaxed him.
“That’s it, he’s lost his chance. We don’t need him. What is in it for us?”
Warren then confirmed that Kabayel remained the frontrunner to face Fury.
Warren confirmed that Kabayel remains the primary target for Fury and that should be confirmed one way or another on Wednesday.
“We’re looking at the European champion Agit Kabayel and that’s the fight we’re looking to make,” he continued.
“[The delay is because] because they want more money – everybody does! But we’re close to making the fight.
“Tyson has been training for this guy and that’s the fight he wants. Tyson is not interested in [a fight with Dillian Whyte].
“He’s made that very clear, even before he faced Povetkin. All we’re interested in is getting to face Anthony Joshua after he gets through his next fight. That’s the only heavyweight Matchroom has we’re interested in.”
Warren even said that if Kabayel fails to agree terms, Whyte is not next in line.
“He’ll either sign it or he won’t, but we have someone else in mind if he doesn’t. So we have a backup plan, but it won’t be Dillian Whyte.”