Cuban Ortiz looks set to be thrown out of facing Deontay Wilder as the World Boxing Council open an investigation following a red flag by VADA, and Whyte – ranked number four by the organisation – immediately threw his hat into the ring.
“No excuses now (Deontay Wilder). I will take Ortiz’s place (so) let’s get it made,” said Whyte, before adding: “Fake Champion last seen off his nut running away from a record payday. If seen please contact Eddie Hearn.”
Upon this public callout, Wilder’s promoter Lou DiBella has moved to remind everyone of Whyte’s own drug test failure back in 2012. ‘The Body Snatcher’ was subsequently banned by the British Boxing Board of Control until 2014 despite appealing an adverse result in his sample.
DiBella had previously pointed out that Wilder is the biggest single victim of doping athletes in the history of the sport after three opponents were found with banned substances in their system, resulting in the cancellation of no less than four world title fights.
HISTORY: Dillian Whyte was banned 2 years drugs https://t.co/Mc4GcyNX7u via @MailSport This is what tweet quoted previously (& gone) about.
— Lou DiBella (@loudibella) September 29, 2017
Alexander Povetkin (twice), Andrzej Wawrzyk and now Ortiz have seen their reputations smeared and DiBella seems to be reluctant to give Whyte an opportunity at Wilder due to his past dealings with the UK Anti-Doping Agency.
The more likely foe for DiBella would be Bermane Stiverne, who is already the mandatory contender and would give Wilder the chance to focus on bigger fights in the future against the likes of Anthony Joshua, David Haye, Tony Bellew or Joseph Parker.
Having already defeated Stiverne to claim the championship in 2015, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ would be a massive favourite to do similar on November 4.
The latest twist in the saga is that Wilder has requested to continue with the fight against Ortiz, although the WBC’s policy would point towards ‘The Real King Kong’ being pulled from the contest as the investigation rumbles on.
Phil Jay is Editor of World Boxing News. Follow on Twitter @PhilDJay
