Dillian Whyte ready to rumble again – Brixton fighter wants top heavyweights to clash

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Dillian Whyte is gearing up for a ring return before the end of the year and has called on the leading heavyweights to face off against each other.

The 34-year-old Brixton puncher was stopped in the sixth round by WBC champion Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium in April.

But Whyte (28-3, 19KOs) has emerged as a target for Greenwich’s Daniel Dubois, who won the WBA Regular title by easily dispatching Trevor Bryan in Miami this summer.

There has also been talk of facing Anthony Joshua, who is looking to rebuild after falling short in his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

“All the fights I’ve lost I’ve never taken a 12-round pasting,” Whyte told iFL TV. “They have been very competitive fights, so there’s still a lot left in me.

“A lot of people are saying ‘he’s washed up’ – that’s good for me. Hopefully now I’ll be able to get the fights I’ve wanted for years that these p****** didn’t want to take.

“There’s lots of options on the table. My team is very methodical, they always do the best for me. This is the second phase of my career, so now we need to make the right move. This decision will depend on the longevity of my career and we need to think carefully about it.

“For my team it isn’t about money, it’s about making sure I’m alright and where I go – the legacy we’re building.

“Everyone needs to fight everyone. I don’t know why everyone is scared to lose and is f****** about. Win, lose or draw that is what fans want to see – good heavyweight fights.”

Whyte has kept a low profile since his defeat to Fury, widely regarded as the top fighter in the weight class.

The self-titled Gypsy King looks set to face Usyk next with all the major titles being on the line.

Whyte was floored by a right uppercut against Fury with referee Mark Lyson calling a halt with a second remaining in the sixth round. The challenger had regained his feet and afterwards claimed an illegal push had sent him to the canvas.

Asked how he coped with the loss, Whyte said: “It hasn’t been easy. I wasn’t myself. A few things happened in the fight that shouldn’t have been allowed to happen.

“One of the British Boxing Board [of Control] rules is if you get knocked down after a bell you are meant to be allowed to go to your corner for a doctor to come and check you out – but they stopped the fight.

“I’m not going to make excuses – I lost on the night, he won on the night. It would be good if we could get it on again some time in the future.

“It was a hard defeat but it’s life. You cry about it, you get depressed about it and you get on with it.”

PICTURE: MIKEY WILLIAMS/TOP RANK