British heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte is back in action this weekend as the Londoner bids to put a hellish few months behind him.
A place in the final week of Celebrity MasterChef UK is the only bright spark since a drug test and glove controversy storm erupted after his win over Oscar Rivas last summer.
‘The Bodysnatcher’ saw his career under a cloud. Promoter Eddie Hearn then vowed to clear Whyte’s name before he fought again.
Hearn’s promise is yet to transpire, but the Matchroom boss is keen for Whyte to remain active whilst the situation continues to boil.
World Boxing Council chiefs have since moved to point out that Whyte’s UKAD investigation remains ongoing despite a forthcoming clash with Mariusz Wach in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
If Whyte eventually gets the all-clear, the WBC has vowed to bestow interim WBC champion status on the 31 year-old.
The WBC said at the recent Convention: “(Current champion, Deontay) Wilder is scheduled to make a voluntary title defense on November 23 against No. 3 ranked Luis Ortiz of Cuba. The WBC has also approved the rematch against No. 2 ranked Tyson Fury of Great Britain to be held in 2020.”
In an update, the WBC has now added the following information.
Charlie Giles (of the British Boxing Board of Control) petitioned Fury to be mandatory to comply with the WBC rules. This is because Dillian Whyte’s situation is uncertain and is handled by a UK government agency (UKAD).
“No. 1 ranked Dillian Whyte’s situation is in process with UKAD, Whyte’s representatives, and with the WBC.
“If his situation is resolved, the WBC will continue to recognize him as Interim champion. He will become the mandatory challenger for February, 2021.”
After convention facts
* Wilder defended his title by KO7 against Ortiz.
* Dubois vs Fujimoto for WBC silver December 21 in UK.
REACTION
Announcing his intentions to fight before the end of the year, Whyte has faced a barrage of criticism on social media.
Constant barracking of Hearn has also been present as fans continue to call for a ‘B Sample’. This will likely never be released.
Hearn and Whyte have no obligation to do so. All that seemingly needs to be corrected is the fact Rivas was not informed of the test results before the O2 contest.
Should some sort of acknowledgment be made, along with an explanation of a glove incident mentioned by Team Rivas, Whyte would almost certainly be given a break by the British boxing public.
That final UKAD reasoning the WBC still seeks out may not be forthcoming anytime soon.
If it remains unresolved, Whyte could potentially move away from the WBC to another sanctioning body.
Phil Jay is the Editor of World Boxing News.
