Chances of Dillian Whyte boxing at Greenwich’s 02 Arena in April are “very, very slim”

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Dillian Whyte’s next fight is not set to be until July – with the bidding process for his WBC interim heavyweight title fight set to knock out plans for an April 20 date at Greenwich’s 02 Arena.

The Brixton puncher, 30, has been ordered to fight Dominic Breazeale –  with the winner becoming mandatory challenger to world champion Deontay Wilder.

Whyte’s rise up the rankings has been under the Matchroom Boxing promotional umbrella – headed up by Eddie Hearn.

Hearn had been looking for the South Londoner to headline at The 02 in April.

But now there are set to be other bidders to stage Whyte-Breazeale. Both men have been knocked out by Anthony Joshua, who holds multiple versions of the world titles.

Asked about that April date, Hearn said: “The show is definitely happening – but I doubt it will be Dillian Whyte [on it].

“It is very, very slim. I think it will be more like July because I think the purse bids are going to be April – from there it will be 90 days [for the bout to happen].”

Whyte and Breazeale are set to get a 50-50 split of the money on offer.

Hearn said: “Breazeale, for some reason, is mandatory but Dillian is number one [contender]. I’ll be writing to the WBC saying he should get a bigger split – he’s been number one for two years.

“It’s great that they [the WBC] have made that move [ordering the bout]. I don’t think Breazeale will be very happy, because I think he wanted to sit tight.

“Dillian is in a great position.

“It will probably go to purse bids and I’ll try and get Breazeale over here.

“I’d rather make a deal [before it goes to purse bids]. But if not then we’ll go to America. Al Haymon [Breazeale’s promoter] may not let Breazeale go on DAZN [an American streaming site which Hearn is providing shows for].

“I don’t think they’ll be able to come up with enough money to make Dillian accept a deal, without going to purse bids.

“It doesn’t really matter if it does, the aim of the fight is the same. He has got to win that fight, then he is in a great position. I’m hoping we can get that fight, he can win that fight – we’ve got everybody cornered and on the way to getting that WBC strap.

“He is in a good spot. He knows Sky are going to be bidding hard for that fight, PBC [Premier Boxing Champions] are probably bidding, maybe ITV and I don’t know about BT [Sport].”

Whyte is ready and willing to travel.

“Obviously [the fight being] in Britain would be good, but I don’t mind,” he said. “I want to be world heavyweight champion. I want to fight in different places around the world.

“Britain is my base, my support is there, and I want to keep building and growing, but wherever the fight is, I’ll go and fight.

“I’m not one to start crying. I’ll fight wherever the fight is.

“He is tough and he is durable, and he’s improved a lot. A big, strong guy, but I don’t care about all that.

“The good thing is, he’s the mandatory, he’s a Ring Magazine top-10 fighter.

“He’ll be like the third or the fourth Ring top-10 fighter I’ve fought in the past year or so, it will be great.

“It will be a good person for me to knock out as well.”

Lewisham light-heavyweight Dan Azeez looks for a seventh straight win  tonight.

The 29-year-old is unbeaten since turning professional at the end of 2017.

Azeez, who has won three of his bouts inside the distance, is scheduled to meet Frenchman Saidou Sall (10-9-2).

Bermondsey’s Chris Kongo is set to feature on the undercard of the James Degale-Chris Eubank Junior fight at Greenwich’s 02 Arena tomorrow.

Kongo is 10-0. His last action came in September when he outpointed Adam Grabiec at Bethnal Green’s York Hall.