By Gabriel Princewill-
Dillian Whyte finally gets his shot at the Wbc title after Tyson Fury was ordered by the WBC to face the mandatory challenger in an all-British showdown next year.
The order comes after a prolonged wait of many years for Whyte to be granted his shot at the title, whilst former Wbc champion, Deontey Wilder was still champion.
The South London fighter continued to take on tough opposition, emerging victorious each time, until he crossed paths with 2004 olympic champion, Alexander Povetkin, who knocked him out in the 5th round after a winning streak of about six fights for the Londoner.
Whyte eventually avenged that devastating loss with a fourth round knockout of the competent Russian last March, putting him back into contention, and keeping his title aspirations alive.
Yet, Whyte continued to be inexplicably sidelined for his well deserved shot at the WBC crown since first picking up the ‘Silver’ belt in 2017 , after victory over Robert Helenius.
Sidelined since 2017: Dillian Whyte Image: Skysports.com
Whyte’s marginalization from the opportunity to implement his mandatory status led the tough British heavyweight fighter to sue the Wbc in June 2020, for their indefensible and unjust treatment of him.
Ridiculous
After Fury successfully defended his heavyweight world title with an 11th-round stoppage of Deontay Wilder in their scintilating trilogy fight last October, the Wbc still refused to sanction a fight between Whyte and Fury, ridiculously and shamelessly stating they could not do so whilst the londoner had a legal suit pending against them.
Fury Ko’d Wilder in thrilling October battle Image:Getty Images
A legal suit prompted by their own reprehensible, unprofessional and unethical conduct, complicated further by a rematch clause between Tyson Fury and Deontey Wilder, after the pair had already fought twice.
The whole affair was shameful of the World Boxing Council, who showed little integrity in the face of sustained criticism for their indiscretion.
Now, the potent challenger who has frequently accused Fury of avoiding him, gets his opportunity to become a world champion.
However, rather than face big punching Wilder for the title, the Brixton man will have the taller order of bringing down an unbeaten giant with a size, mobility, and versatility that transcends those of his contemporaries, and even the boxing greats of old.
The order by the Wbc at least puts to bed speculation over whether Joshua will accept step aside money to allow Usyk and Fury to fight for the unified heavyweight title.
That rematch will now take place in the spring of 2022 as originally schedulled, whilst the unification of the heavyweight belts will now have to wait until Fury and Whyte settle their differences in the ring.
In the end , all four heavyweights-Fury, Whyte, Joshua, and Usyk- will approach christmas and the new year with absolute certainty of where they stand for the year ahead.