By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten heavyweight contender Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 KOs) says he is game for a rematch with his former conqueror Dillian Whyte (16-1, 13 KOs) if he wants another fight. The two fighters are currently 1-1 in their rivalry after Joshua recently beat the injured Whyte by a seventh round knockout last December to avenge an earlier loss to him in the amateur ranks in 2009.
The difference is Whyte was injured during the rematch last December, and he could not fight hard for more than one round. Whyte came into the fight with a bang up left shoulder, which got worse after he tweaked it in the 2nd while knocking Joshua silly.
“It’s rock and roll. If he wants another fight, we’ll do it again, no problem. It’s rock and roll. Me and Dillian, round two,” Joshua said to skysports.com.
Let us be serious now. There is no way that Whyte is going to be given a rematch with Joshua. If there is a rematch that is going to take place between the two large British fighters, it is going to be in the distant future and not now. Joshua, 26, will be challenging IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin (23-0-1, 21 KOs) on April 9 at the O2 Arena in London, UK.
If Joshua wins the fight, which is unlikely, then he’s probably going to be looking to fight a unification fight against IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Tyson Fury or WBC champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder. He’s not going to be looking to fight a rematch against a dangerous puncher like Whyte, especially with him now healthy after his surgery on his shoulder.
If Joshua loses to Martin in April, then I really doubt that we’ll be seeing a rematch between Joshua and Martin, because his promoter Eddie Hearn will likely start spoon feeding Joshua again with more fodder opponents to get his confidence back to where it is right now. Hearn has Joshua sounding almost cocky, and you have to believe that’s because of all the success he’s had against terrible opposition.
“The only place we would be likely to see each other is at a boxing show,” Joshua said about Whyte. “We won’t say much to each other. Would I go over to him, say hello, and shake his hand? No way.”
It does not matter if Joshua and Whyte never speak to each other. What’s important is whether they face each other in the ring again, and I don’t see that happening. If Whyte rebuilds his career successfully after he finishes rehabbing his left shoulder, then I can see him winning a world title.
I still do not think that Joshua will fight him. I see Joshua and Whyte going in separate lanes for the remainder of their careers unless the two of them both become such big stars that a second fight between them just has to take place. I don’t think either of them are going to become popular enough for them to become major worldwide stars. Joshua’s Waterloo could come against Charles Martin on April 9. Whyte needs to rehab his surgically repaired left shoulder, and he badly needs to work on his stamina issues. If Whyte is going to continue to gas out after two rounds in the future, then I can’t see the guy ever beating any of the top 15 contenders.
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