Dillian Whyte wants his claim as the mandatory for the Deontay Wilder vs Dominic Breazeale winner honored!
Promoter Eddie Hearn has grown frustrated with the WBC and for good reason. Since 2017 after winning the WBC silver title, his fighter Dillian Whyte has been overlooked several times.
Whyte seems to have a legitimate complaint. Since he is both the silver champion and the #1 contender, it’s perplexing as to why a title opportunity hasn’t been granted.
In a recent interview, the very vocal promoter would say:
“It’s frustrating. We’ve sent a legal letter to the WBC this week!”
Hearn would further express that his fighter should be named the immediate mandatory for the winner of Wilder vs Dominic Breazeale on May 18.
This situation has some similarities to what we saw with then WBC light-heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson and Eleider Alvarez. The difference being Alvarez took step-aside money and did so more than once.
However in both situations, the sanctioning body was operating in a “gray area” pertaining to the #1 contender status.
In defense of the WBC, last year they did order a Whyte vs Luis Ortiz eliminator which was appealed by Hearn. Apparently, the promoter felt it was only to name a second mandatory while the main position was given to Breazeale.
Additionally when Wilder vs Tyson Fury ended in a draw, the WBC issued an immediate rematch while ordering Whyte vs Breazeale for the mandatory position. 3kingsboxing.com reported on this here!
Fury would later opt-out of the rematch after signing with Top Rank/ESPN which would result in the enforcement of the champion to face the appointed mandatory.
Whyte would also weigh-in with his thoughts saying:
“If Wilder wants to fight Breazeale, I should become the WBC automatic mandatory because Dominic Breazeale is pulling out of [our] fight, not me.”
By: Garrisson Bland
