Dillian Whyte has revealed big fight plans as he looks to get his career back on track in 2020 after being reinstated as WBC mandatory challenger.
The British heavyweight has had a tumultuous year following an investigation from UK Anti-Doping in which he was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.
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Triumphant Return
Whyte beat Oscar Rivas in July to claim the WBC interim heavyweight title. But he had it provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance.
The 31-year-old has since been cleared of all charges, and earlier this month was reinstated as mandatory challenger for the heavyweight title.
He returned to the ring to beat Mariusz Wach on points in Saudi Arabia, on the undercard of Joshua vs Ruiz II.
Challenger
The WBC have now confirmed that Whyte will challenge for the title by February 2021.
But the Jamaica-born fighter is now keen to organise his next fight for March or April, with London as the preferred location.
Whyte has said he wants to further prove that he deserves a shot at a world title by defeating high-ranking opponents like Alexander Povetkin and Andy Ruiz Jr.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Whyte said: “I would like to be out at the end of March, or early April,”
“I’ll be ready to go. I’m having my final week off, then back to training, I’ll be training over Christmas.”
“Let’s start planning, so we can build a good event and get a good fight. A fight that I’ve got notice for and I can train for. Make it another spectacle in London.”
“Povetkin, Ruiz Jr and Otto Wallin. Those are the kind of fights.”
“Even Manuel Charr for the WBA ‘regular’ title, if he wants it. That’s a great fight. Charr would be a good one.”
Whyte has been left frustrated with his lack of a WBC title shot against Deontay Wilder and has raised concerns that the ‘Bronze Bomber’ will avoid a fight at all costs.
He continued: “I’m not confident of anything to do with Deontay Wilder anymore,”
“The WBC want me to fight, I want the fight, I’m mandatory, but Deontay Wilder don’t want to fight.
“What more can I do? I can’t do any more. Deontay Wilder is a coward. He’s a proper coward.”
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Elusive
It’s not the first time the Wilder has been called out over his elusiveness.
Unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua recently spoke out over the difficulty he’s had in arranging a fight with the American.
Talking to Sky Sports, AJ said: “It still puzzles me as to why it’s so difficult to pin this man down,”
“This is the man that I need to pin down to get the last ring, so I can conquer this division, as I’ve set out to do from day one.”
“When he’s ready as I am, I would love to be facing off here. Facing off with Deontay Wilder, talking about the keys to victory.”
“It’s not even about me now, it’s gone past that. It’s about the sport and our legacy, and I’ve always said, if he wants to create his legacy and be a future Hall-Of-Famer, he should come see us.”
(Featured image source: Twitter/ Sky Sports Boxing)