Dillian Whyte has a ‘very, very good’ chance of being Anthony Joshua next challenger

DILLIAN WHYTE has a โ€œvery, very goodโ€ chance of being Anthony Joshuaโ€™s next challenger, according to their promoter Eddie Hearn.

In the event of victory over Dereck Chisora it was considered a near-formality that Whyte would fight the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion at Wembley on April 13.

Whyte produced a chilling, 11th-round stoppage of Chisora at The O2 Arena in London, but Joshuaโ€™s reputation has been somewhat undermined by the success of Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury, meaning the champion is considering further options.

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Eddie Hearn is confident Dillian Whyte will face Anthony Joshua at some point (Nick Potts/PA)

Joshua told Whyte after Saturdayโ€™s fight that he will defend against him next if he cannot tempt Wilder to abandon plans to fight Fury in a rematch, but there regardless remains the possibility of him fighting in America for the first time and Hearn said he is only โ€œ80 per centโ€ certain to honour the date at Wembley.

Whyte could then end up fighting Americaโ€™s Dominic Breazeale, and Hearn said: โ€œJoshua wants the undisputed fight (with Wilder) but he also wants to fight Dillian Whyte. He got up on the ring; itโ€™s quite unusual for him to do that. Thereโ€™s a very, very good chance that will be next.

โ€œDillian deserves a world title shot and heโ€™s in his prime or approaching his prime, and thatโ€™s the time to fight. Him and โ€˜AJโ€™ is a brilliant fight.

โ€œWe havenโ€™t got long (to make Joshuaโ€™s next fight). Iโ€™m sure weโ€™ll be on the phone to Dillian within the next week. The priority is he wants to fight Wilder, but I donโ€™t believe that will happen. If itโ€™s an April 13 date at Wembley youโ€™ll need it on sale at the end of January. Heโ€™s 80 per cent likely to fight at Wembley on April 13.

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Anthony Joshua speaks with Dillian Whyte after the fight at the O2 Arena (Steven Paston/PA)

โ€œ(Wilderโ€™s team are) not showing a lot of willingness.โ€

Whyte, 30, said: โ€œI canโ€™t sit around and wait for him. Iโ€™m not wasting three or four months of my career waiting for what heโ€™s doing; I havenโ€™t got time for that. My careers needs to progress. Timeโ€™s ticking.

โ€œWe were supposed to hear about the Joshua fight directly after Wilder-Fury, what was supposed to happen, and thereโ€™s nothing again, so I canโ€™t sit around and wait.

โ€œThe guyโ€™s making a lot of money; heโ€™s got four belts, I donโ€™t think he really cares. Itโ€™s about what heโ€™s doing; heโ€™s the man at the moment. Iโ€™m sure Eddie doesnโ€™t want the golden egg to get cracked.โ€


The latest damaging defeat of an already tough career, and the time it took for the 34-year-old Chisora to regain consciousness, suggested he should consider retirement, but when asked if he, would he responded: โ€œF*** that s***, man.

โ€œEvery time everybody sees failure they think everybody should retire; thatโ€™s a disease we have in Great Britain. You just keep going. You go and go until you canโ€™t take no more.

โ€œIโ€™ll bounce back. Thereโ€™s fights out there. Itโ€™s not like I had a terrible loss or it was a c****y fight. It was a great fight and I enjoyed it.

โ€œGetting hit on the chin youโ€™re just going to end up on the floor. (Iโ€™m not going to hospital), Iโ€™m perfect, I feel good.โ€

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