As fans are more than likely aware, Dillian Whyte is looking at the possibility of taking another fight if his rematch with Alexander Povetkin – postponed from Jan. 30 to later in the year, perhaps in the spring – doesn’t get set any time soon. And Whyte, along with Eddie Hearn, has a “four-man short-list” of possible opponents. Top of this list is Luis Ortiz (although Whyte is also desperate to fight Deontay Wilder) – and the Cuban has responded to Whyte calling him out.
Speaking with Sky Sports, Ortiz’ main man Jay Jimenez says “King Kong” very much wants to fight Whyte, adding that he could be ready as soon as January or February.
“Ortiz heard those rumours,” Jimenez said of Whyte suggesting he’d fight Ortiz. “I guess Dillian was calling his name and other names, and he reached to me and asked me, ‘Look, if that’s true, I would like to step in the ring with him.’ That would be a great fight. I told him that I would find out. I think yeah, that would be a great fight. Luis Ortiz would love to take that fight. I say January or February [Ortiz would be ready].”
These two heavyweight contenders have been calling one another out, and exchanging insults for some time. Whyte feels he would knock Ortiz out, while the Cuban southpaw feels he would be the man administering the knockout drops. As intriguing and potentially explosive as that Povetkin-Whyte rematch is, fans would gladly accept a Whyte Vs. Ortiz fight beforehand – and what’s more, they’d pay to see it. The problem for Whyte though, is he may well lose to Ortiz, and if he did, then what? He’d be in a deeper hole than the one he was left in on August 22 when Povetkin took him out in that fifth round.
But Whyte wants to fight and if Povetkin (who is still fighting his way back to full health after a bout with Covid) keeps him waiting, who knows. Ortiz has made it clear he’s available. Will Whyte roll the dice and get it on with “King Kong” in early 2021?