Dillian Whyte wants his opportunity… now
For the last two years, Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) has been longing for his chance to fight for the WBC World Heavyweight title and was in full pursuit to fight then-champion Deontay Wilder. With Wilder’s stunning 7th round TKO loss to Tyson Fury on February 22, Whyte feels he is the next man in line.
“I deserve it. I’ve worked hard for my title shot and I keep fighting and I keep risking my position. I’ve been number one contender for ages now. They should fight no-one else, apart from me.
I’ve done everything that is required of me, so now it’s my turn. I wouldn’t be surprised if they haven’t already started talking about the [Anthony Joshua] fight. Fury won’t face me unless he gets put in a position where he has to face me.”
The 31-year-old from the Brixton section of London is the WBC interim Heavyweight titleholder and is the mandatory challenger to the belt. According to WBC rules, Fury has to face Whyte by February of 2021.
However, there’s a caveat. Wilder has a 30-day window to exercise a rematch clause. Should he decide to exercise that clause, Fury-Wilder III would be the priority and Whyte would have to continue to stay on the shelf waiting for his long-awaited title shot.
Then there is a tantalizing prospect of a super-fight between Fury and WBA/IBF/WBO World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua should Wilder decide to not exercise the rematch clause. Eddie Hearn, promoter of Joshua, has already started beating the drums for Fury-Joshua showdown for this summer.
While congratulating Fury for his win over Wilder, Dillian Whyte feels he holds the key to defeating the fighter known as “The Gypsy King”, a man he’s traded punches with during sparring sessions.
“Tyson Fury knows I’ve got what it takes to beat him. Fury moves his head well, but he’s got a big body. Keep targeting his body and back him up.
You have to lay leather on him and hit him hard to the body. That’s where you wear him down. If you hit him to the body hard enough and consistent enough, you break him down.”
Make no doubt about it, Dillian Whyte wants to fight for the WBC Heavyweight title now and feels he’s done more than enough to earn the opportunity. Now the question is, will he finally get his chance? Sadly, he has zero control of that. Whyte may indeed have to wait even longer for his world title try.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
