Dillian Whyte draws up three-fight comeback plan including Anthony Joshua rematch and two bouts this year

09/23/2024 02:20 PM

Dillian Whyte is gearing up for an active few months after a long stretch on the sidelines.

‘The Bodysnatcher’ has only competed twice since being knocked out by Tyson Fury in April 2022.

Whyte defeated Jermaine Franklin via majority decision in November 2022 before his proposed rematch with Anthony Joshua collapsed after it was found the Brixton boxer had failed a pre-fight drugs test.

An investigation later found the positive drug test to be a result of a contaminated supplement and Whyte was cleared to resume his boxing career in March of this year by the Texas Department of Licencing and Regulation.

Whyte returned to the ring two weeks later as he fought Christian Hammer and won via third-round retirement after the Romanian journeyman quit on his stool.

He hasn’t fought since then but the British slugger is keen to make up for lost time by competing two more times before the year is out.

“I’m looking to fight November and December,” he told talkSPORT Drive on Monday afternoon after watching Daniel Dubois knock out Joshua in the fifth round over the weekend.

“I’m trying to get two more fights in this year and then get back into the big fights next year.

“The last couple of years, I fell out of love with the game a little bit.

“Obviously, sometimes boxing is hard and it’s up and down. One minute you’re on top and the next minute you’re not.

“So I felt I fell out of love with the game and sitting back and seeing these big fights happen, I got a lot of fire back and, I’m hungry to fight again.

“I watched Dubois-AJ, and I think to myself, ‘I can beat these guys’.

“I’m very capable of beating them. I didn’t see anything special that I was like ‘Okay the feet was great or the movement was great’.

“Obviously, I saw a lot of power and a lot of aggression, which they both bring to the table.

“So I’m just very motivated. I can’t wait to get back and get back into the big fights, man. So November, hopefully, and then December.”

Asked if the tight turnaround is entirely plausible, Whyte replied: “It’s very realistic that’s why I was at the fight, to try and get [a fight].

“I’ve been training and as a heavyweight these days all you have to do in this day and age is stay ready.

“Obviously, five weeks is a good enough time. That’s one thing I have learnt; stay training regardless of whether you are fighting or not so I can be ready in a short space of time.”

Whyte isn’t entirely certain on who he will box next but he has a clear idea of who wants his dance partner to be in December.

“We’re having a conversation with a few guys,” he continued.

“Of course, it’s not going to be a real champion I’m gonna fight next because I’m not deluded enough to think I can be one fight in two, three years and come back and fight an A-level opponent.

“It’s going to be a B-level or C-level opponent. And then hopefully in December if Derek Chisora says he wants to fight and people want to see a trilogy then I’ll get a quick run out and bash Derek Chisora up again.”

Whyte defeated Chisora twice in a pair of enthralling back-and-forth affairs in 2016 and 2018 – but both men still have unfinished business to tend to.

Another man Whyte has a score to settle with is Joshua.

The Watford powerhouse handed him the first defeat of his professional career in 2015 and after seeing their rematch fall through last year, Whyte is desperate to run it back with his fierce rival.

“Even if I’m 60 years old and retired and they ask me to do the AJ fight I will strap my knees and my lower back up and come out of retirement and give it all I’ve got left in the tank,” he remarked.