By Tim Parsons
The WBC organisation will suspend Dillian Whyte for a year from fighting for their championship belt, an announcement from them appears to indicate.
The controversial organisation who for a long time had delayed Whyte’s right(despite him being in the mandatory position to fight for the belt) to fight for the belt possessed by reigning champion Deontey Wilder, had granted Whyte the opportunity to fight for it just before the failed drug test.
As Ukad continue to determine the full implication of the failed drug test of Dillian Whyte, the WBC have now announced that Dillian Whyte will have to wait another year, until February 2021, before he gets a shot at the title.
The surprising announcement appears to be a sign that the organisation may want to stay on the side of caution if Whyte drug issue is resolved, in case the Brixton boxer is using some unknown means to beat the system. The WBC did not state their reasons for the further extension of a year. Whyte’s promoter, Eddie Hearns , reacted to the news. He said:
“It’s frustrating because the original resolution had Whyte as mandatory to the winner of Wilder vs Fury,” Hearn said.
“Whyte is still mandatory but it’s been put back to 2021. It’s ridiculous.
“The WBC will probably make Wilder the ‘franchise’ champion, anyway.”
“How do you chase greatness if, when you get there, you can’t touch it?”
It could also have a knock-on effect for the dream undisputed heavyweight championship fight between Anthony Joshua and Wilder, Hearn explained.
Joshua, who must first regain the IBF, WBA and WBO belts from Andy Ruiz Jr on December 7 live on Sky Sports Box Office, may not
“The crème da la crème is to have undisputed fights but that’s being taken away from the sport. You are protecting key champions. This is all wrong,” Hearn said.
The 16-month wait now imposed on Whyte will give reigning champion Wilder the chance to fight Luis Ortiz on November 23, live on Sky Sports, then face Tyson Fury next year. Wilder has already beaten Ortiz and drew with Fury.
“It’s frustrating because the original resolution had Whyte as mandatory to the winner of Wilder vs Fury,” Hearn said.
“Whyte is still mandatory but it’s been put back to 2021. It’s ridiculous.
“The WBC will probably make Wilder the ‘franchise’ champion, anyway.”
Whyte wants to avoid a similar situation where his eventual title challenge comes for a different variation of Wilder’s belt, and not against the long-reigning champion himself.
“Devin Haney is in a similar situation [to Whyte] – he was crowned world champion because Lomachenko is now ‘franchise’ champion. We don’t want to be crowned world champion, we want to fight Lomachenko, that’s what Haney has been dreaming to do.
“How do you chase greatness if, when you get there, you can’t touch it?”
It could also have a knock-on effect for the dream undisputed heavyweight championship fight between Anthony Joshua and Wilder, Hearn said.