Mauricio Sulaiman, the WBC president, has previously explained: “There is a procedure with regards to the date of the mandatory in the heavyweight division. Upon direct advice of WBC legal counsel I am not in position to discuss any further.”

However, the WBC had passed a ruling last month that Fury was to defend his belt against the WBC ‘interim’ champion, if he could not agree an undisputed world title fight against Oleksandr Usyk within 30 days. That period elapsed last week, with Usyk and Joshua already committed to a rematch in April next year. It now leaves Whyte out in the cold until the arbitration case is complete. 

Fury, it is understood, may now have an interim fight in the New Year, potentially a homecoming title defence against another challenger after his epic trilogy victory over Wilder, and if victorious, followed by a mega-fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship next summer against the winner of Usyk-Joshua.

Frank Warren, Fury’s UK promoter commented: “Tyson has earned the right to do as he chooses now. “