WBC announces new 'Union Belt' for the winner of Tyson Fury vs. Dillian Whyte
It appears that the winner of this month's heavyweight collision between Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte will be adding some new gold to their collection.
'The Gyspy King' and 'The Body Snatcher' are set to clash on the 23rd at Wembley Stadium. The bout has already smashed records for attendance, with upwards of 90,000 fans set to watch the action live, marking one of the most highly-attended boxing matches ever.
It's easy to see why, as it's one of the most important British boxing bouts ever. Fury's WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles are on the line in what could be the final fight of the 33-year-old's career. The Manchester-native has repeatedly teased that his walk at Wembley will be his last.
Not to be outdone, Whyte is also coming in as the WBC Interim Heavyweight Titleholder. He has won 12 of his last 13 appearances and defeated names such as Alexander Povetkin, Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora.
It now appears that more stakes have been added to the fight between Fury and Whyte. The WBC heavyweight title will be on the line, but the promotion has also added another championship to the fight, dubbed the "Union" belt.
Michael Benson first reported the news on Twitter and showed what the title will look like. With the belt obviously being created due to both men's British heritage, the winner will be awarded the one-off title for their victory.
See the WBC's Union championship in the picture below:
The WBC's new special WBC 'Union Belt' which will be awarded to the winner of Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte, April 23rd… https://t.co/GcYHq8Omwu
Tyson Fury vs. Dillian Whyte isn't the first bout with a special title on the line
Tyson Fury vs. Dillian Whyte won't be the first fight to have a special championship on the line.
While this will be the first time the Union title has been seen, the WBC and other promotions have created similar ceremonial straps in the past. The World Boxing Council has been a fan of commerctive belts over the years. Furthermore, some of the more well-known belts have been held by big names.
While Floyd Mayweather holds the "Money" belt, Canelo Alvarez owns the "Huichol" title. Both men earned their championships after big victories, with 'Money' earning his after defeating Conor McGregor and the Mexican collecting his after beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
The WBC "Money Belt" will be presented to the winner of the Mayweather-McGregor fight. https://t.co/GjU6Lzgyxv
While the championships aren't recognized as actual titles, they're held by all-time greats. Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte will look to join the club later this month.