By Tim Royner: Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn says he is still expecting Dillian Whyte to fight again this year despite all the problems hanging over his head from his testing for his fight with Oscar Rivas last July. Hearn states that Whyte (26-1, 18 KOs) is working with his lawyers and with UKAD to try and clear himself as soon as possible. Hearn says there’s no time table for when he’ll be cleared.
Dillian has subsequently been provisionally suspended by the WBC as their interim heavyweight champion and mandatory to WBC champ Deontay Wilder. Whyte isn’t suspended from fighting in the UK though. He can still fight in the UK, but he would receive a lot of criticism if he were to fight before his B-sample results are revealed.
Whyte wants to be cleared ASAP says Hearn
“Dillian Whyte is handling his UKAD situation,” said Hearn to IFL TV. “It’s a private confidential matter with him where all will be revealed. Him and his lawyers are working at it around the clock, because the sooner it’s revealed,the better. They want it resolved ASAP, because people are asking. Yes,” Hearn said when asked if he believes Whyte will fight again this year. “Yes,” said Hearn when asked if Whyte will be fighting in the latter portion of this year.
Whyte, 31, earned the mandatory position with the World Boxing Council in beating Rivas (26-1, 18 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision on July 20 at the O2 Arena in London, England. Not long after the fight, it was revealed that Whyte had an alleged positive test for a banned substance from last June. There was a hearing held with Whyte on the morning of his fight with Rivas by an independent testing agency, but the WBC and Rivas’s promoter wasn’t told.
If Whyte is cleared by UKAD, then he’ll be able to fight for the WBC belt by May of 2020. That’s when the WBC champion must defend the title against Whyte. Of course, if Whyte is suspended, then it’s unclear what happens with his mandatory status. It would depend on the WBC, and if he’s given a suspension.
Mauricio Sulaiman says Whyte is free to box
“The WBC had no idea,” said World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman to Fighthype in commenting that the WBC didn’t know that Whyte had tested positive for a banned substance before he fought Oscar Rivas on July 20. “It’s a highly sensitive matter. We don’t know much. We have contacted the British Boxing Board of Control. We’re already talking to Dillian Whyte’s camp and UKAD. What the WBC did was suspend provisionally the recognition of Dillian Whyte as interim champion, and mandatory challenger [to WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder]. He’s not suspended to box. He needs to do the process under our rules and regulations. Of course, he’s got the right to defend himself. He’s not guilty until proven guilty. So, we’ll see what happens,” said Sulaiman.