DILLIAN WHYTE has a โvery, very goodโ chance of being Anthony Joshuaโs 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 Joshuaโs reputation has been somewhat undermined by the success of Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury, meaning the champion is considering further options.
Joshua told Whyte after Saturdayโs 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 โ80 per centโ certain to honour the date at Wembley.
Whyte could then end up fighting Americaโs Dominic Breazeale, and Hearn said: โJoshua wants the undisputed fight (with Wilder) but he also wants to fight Dillian Whyte. He got up on the ring; itโs quite unusual for him to do that. Thereโs a very, very good chance that will be next.
โDillian deserves a world title shot and heโs in his prime or approaching his prime, and thatโs the time to fight. Him and โAJโ is a brilliant fight.
โWe havenโt got long (to make Joshuaโs next fight). Iโm sure weโll be on the phone to Dillian within the next week. The priority is he wants to fight Wilder, but I donโt believe that will happen. If itโs an April 13 date at Wembley youโll need it on sale at the end of January. Heโs 80 per cent likely to fight at Wembley on April 13.
โ(Wilderโs team are) not showing a lot of willingness.โ
Whyte, 30, said: โI canโt sit around and wait for him. Iโm not wasting three or four months of my career waiting for what heโs doing; I havenโt got time for that. My careers needs to progress. Timeโs ticking.
โWe were supposed to hear about the Joshua fight directly after Wilder-Fury, what was supposed to happen, and thereโs nothing again, so I canโt sit around and wait.
โThe guyโs making a lot of money; heโs got four belts, I donโt think he really cares. Itโs about what heโs doing; heโs the man at the moment. Iโm sure Eddie doesnโt want the golden egg to get cracked.โ
Respect โF**king hell, what a fight!โ โ @DillianWhyte visits @DerekWarChisoraโs dressing room post-fight #WhyteChisora2 pic.twitter.com/RCWH4BQy95
โ Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) December 23, 2018
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: โF*** that s***, man.
โEvery time everybody sees failure they think everybody should retire; thatโs a disease we have in Great Britain. You just keep going. You go and go until you canโt take no more.
โIโll bounce back. Thereโs fights out there. Itโs not like I had a terrible loss or it was a c****y fight. It was a great fight and I enjoyed it.
โGetting hit on the chin youโre just going to end up on the floor. (Iโm not going to hospital), Iโm perfect, I feel good.โ