Dillian Whyte replaced by Tyson Fury as Wilder’s 2020 mandatory!
For heavyweight contender Dillian “The Body Snatcher” Whyte (26-1, 18 KO’s) the road to a Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KO’s) fight has only consistently gotten longer and longer.
At the recent WBC convention, that road had a few more miles tacked on. It was at this convention the sanctioning body ruled to establish Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury (29-0-1, 20 KO’s) as Wilder’s 2020 mandatory instead of Whyte.
Although, in the end, the move was more academic than anything.
THE NEVER-ENDING RABBIT HOLE
Prior to this new ruling Whyte behaved as if he was the mandatory challenger for Wilder’s belt for well over a year. The Body Snatcher has petitioned for the shot and called out the Bronze Bomber as well as the WBC over the situation relentlessly.
Finally, after defeating Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (26-1, 18 KO’s) on July 20, Whyte officially became the mandatory challenger for the WBC strap. That’s when the bottom fell out for the interim champion.
In the aftermath of the Rivas bout, it was publically revealed that Dillian Whyte had failed a drug test administered by UKAD (UK Anti-Doping). Not only had he failed the test, there was a secret emergency hearing held on the morning of the Rivas fight to decide if the Body Snatcher would be allowed to compete.
Obviously, Whyte did fight and clearly won.
Winner or not, oddly he remained under investigation by UKAD. He is still under investigation until this very day although he foguht three months ago. If UKAD felt comfortable enough with the information they had a quarter of year ago to allow Whyte to fight what are they still looking at?
Also, if they still are not sure if Whyte is guilty now, why did they allow him to fight on July 20?
MORE HURDLES TO HOP
As a direct result of the UKAD investigation, however, the WBC decided to suspend his status as the mandatory challenger. Even though his designation as mandatory challenger had been suspended, the Body Snatcher is not.
The UK heavy-hitter is more than capable to pen a fight and continue his career. Furthermore, the WBC insists that provided he is ultimately cleared of all wrong doing by UKAD he will once again resume his status as the mandatory challenger for the WBC belt.
On November 23, Wilder will step in the ring with Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (31-1, 26 KO’s) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The bout will serve as a rematch to their thrilling March 2018 shootout. Following this bout, Wilder has already signed a contract to face Tyson Fury. The bout with Fury would also be a rematch of their highly controversial December 1, 2018 prize-fight.
LITIGATION BEFORE PHYSICAL ALTERCATION
Given that Wilder and Fury were already slated to stage their run-back fight, the WBC thought it a prudent idea to slide Fury into the mandatory spot.
By doing this, they pushed Whyte’s mandatory title shot back to, at the latest, February of 2021. And that is only if Whyte is cleared of all wrong doing by UKAD.
Therefore, while Whyte certainly can’t be happy about the news, at the moment it doesn’t change much of anything. First, the Body Snatcher must formally and officially clear his name with UKAD, if not, the Wilder fight is going up in smoke anyway.
Yet, given the frightfully slow pace the process has moved thus far, it doesn’t appear that the legal red tape clears up anytime soon anyhow.
3kingsboxing will continue to monitor and report on this slow evolving story.
By: Bakari Simpson
