By Robert Addams: The WBC has officially removed Dillian Whyte’s suspension, following him being cleared by UKAD, but he’s still not going to get a title shot in 2020. They say Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) can fight for the WBC title in 2021, since Tyson Fury has already taken his spot as the mandatory to WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in 2019.
Whyte isn’t in any better position than he was when he was still suspended by the WBC, because he still needs to wait until 2021 before he gets a title shot. The original plan the WBC had for Whyte was for him to fight for the WBC title against the Wilder vs. Fury 2 winner in 2021, and that plan still holds despite his Dillian’s suspension being lifted.
WBC champions are required to make a title defense every year of their belts, and Wilder is already scheduled to defend his title in February 2020 against Fury. The WBC chose to keep Fury as Wilder’s mandatory rather than reinstating Whyte as the mandatory, which he had earned in beating Oscar Rivas by a 12 round unanimous decision in a WBC title eliminator on July 20.
UKAD cleared Whyte on December 6
Last week, UKAD cleared Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) after investigating his adverse finding from a urine sample taken on June 20. The WBC gave Whyte a provisionally suspension while UKAD’s investigation was going on.
World Boxing Council said this in a news release about them removing Whyte’s suspension:
“Based on limited but detailed research and information gathering, including the WBC’s consultation with two independent experts, the WBC found that there was no sufficient or conclusive evidence that Whyte intentionally, or even knowingly, ingested a banned substance with the purpose of enhancing his performance in any fashion. In light of the WBC’s own finding and of UKAD’s withdrawal of the claim against Mr. Whyte, the WBC has closed its internal investigation.
“The WBC is hereby lifting its provisional suspension and confirming its recognition of Mr. Whyte as WBC Interim World Heavyweight Champion…Whyte shall become the Mandatory Challenger of the division immediately after Champion Deontay Wilder’s mandatory defense against current Mandatory Challenger Tyson Fury, with the mandatory defense against Whyte being due on or about February of 2021.”
Whyte needs to decide whether it’s worth it to wait until 2021 for title shot
It might be worth it for Dillian to move on, and try and get a title shot against IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. That’s an easy fight to get made for Whyte, as he shares the same promoter as Joshua in Eddie Hearn. However, Joshua is already booked up with 2 mandatory defenses against Kubrat Pulev and Oleksandr Usyk in 2020, and the earliest he can fight Whyte is in 2021. Still, Whyte needs to determine if it’s better for him to go after a title shot against WBC champion Wilder or Joshua.