There has been an almighty fallout after Dillian Whyte’s points win over Oscar Rivas in what was for the WBC interim title and mandatory position to face Deintay Wilder.
Firstly, there was the story regarding Whyte changing gloves late in the day which WBN covered previously, and then the report that Dillian Whyte had failed a drug test before the fight, but was cleared.
It seems that no one had elected to tell Oscar Rivas or his team.
Speaking from Canada, Russ Anber, a member of the Rivas corner, revealed his dismay at events.
“Look, there’s no it seems Rivas wasn’t informed,” Anber exclusively told World Boxing News. “We were not notified, nobody from the Rivas camp was notified that he (Whyte) had failed a drug test. Or that he had tested positive for two steroids!
“The fact the BBBoC saw fit to hold a hearing on this positive test – to me, makes you if not legally, certainly morally obligated to notify the opposing camp.
“The fact that a positive test came up and they see fit to hold a hearing to get Dillian’s side of the story and not notify us?
“I don’t see how anybody cannot perceive that as being so wrong, not only wrong but ultimately dangerous, thank God nothing happened in the ring that night.
“But had it happened, with both the gloves and the withholding of information regarding his positive steroid test just makes it incredible.
“I can’t even believe people can’t see the danger in that. The BBBoC is supposed to be there for the protection of the fighters and the safety of the fighters. And to be fair to both sides.
“That’s their mandate, that’s their role. They are not there just to protect Dillian or the shows it goes on. It’s their obligation to warn opposing fighters. As I’m sure Dillian and his camp, Matchroom, everybody else would want to be warned if an opponent of Dillian’s had tested and they didn’t tell them, imagine how he would have felt?”
Dillian Whyte issued a brief statement in which he claimed he won fair and square. Not so according to Anber.
“I understand, he has to take this position,” Anber said. “He’s not going to say ‘hey, I tested positive but the BBBoC gave me a pass. They allowed me to fight so I won the fight but it wasn’t fair.
“You know, I cheated as I wore the wrong gloves that I wasn’t supposed to wear. I tested positive but I won anyway but it wasn’t fair.’ He is not going to say that.”
“That’s not going to be his response, we wouldn’t expect that. He said he won fair and square. In his heart he knows he didn’t win fair and square.
“You know you don’t win fair and square when you are doing things that you’re doing. When you’re cheating with whatever you’re taking into your system.
“Yes, he fought in the ring fair and square, he didn’t hit low blows, elbows or headbutts. The fight was fair and square but you didn’t win fair and square.”
NO CONTEST
What will be the repercussions from this? Well, Anber believes the result shouldn’t stand.
“I think it’s a no brainer that the decision is going to get cancelled,” Anber added. “According to everything we have, the decision has to be reversed. It has to be declared a no-contest at worse, if not an outright disqualification.
“Rivas has to be installed as the mandatory, that’s just basic. With everything that happened with the gloves and with the positive test I don’t think the result can be forced to stand despite any suspension or fine that might be levied against Dillian Whyte.
“You can’t have a result based on someone who was dirty, I mean, it can’t hold up. So many fighters have had their records changed as a result if that. So you test positive, I cant see how you can keep the record. I firmly believe the WBC will definitely not stand by the result or the promised mandatory position to Dillian Whyte.”
There could be legal ramifications from the Rivas team however Anber told me this will be decided by Rivas promoter and manager.
Anber didn’t want to get drawn on how Oscar Rivas feels as it would be best to come from him but did say, “you can rest assured he doesn’t feel like he was treated with any transparency or justice or his interests were protected, especially on UK territory by the BBBoC.”
It seems that this story is going to run for a few days more.
Mick Kane is a Staff Writer to World Boxing News. Follow Mick on Twitter @MickKaneMMA
