Dillian Whyte wants to put the bad memories, and the months of frustration he was forced to endure in 2019, firmly behind him. To that end Whyte is plotting his next move, his next fight. Having seen his name cleared (Whyte, wrongly accused of being a fighter taking PEDS, being nothing of the kind) and back in the ring earlier this month, Whyte is now looking toward a “good fight” in March or early April.
Whyte was not at his best for the December 7 rust-remover with a game Mariusz Wach, but he is eyeing a number of bigger names for his first fight of 2020 and “The Bodysnatcher” says he will be training over the Christmas period.
“I would like to be out at the end of March, or early April,” Whyte told Sky Sports. “I’ll be ready to go. I’ll be training over Christmas. Let’s start planning, so we can build a good event and get a good fight. A fight that I’ve got notice for and I can train for. Make it another spectacle in London. Povetkin, Ruiz and Otto Wallin. Those are the kind of fights. Even Manuel Charr for the WBA regular title, if he wants it. That’s a great fight.”
Of the four names Whyte listed, Ruiz is perhaps the most intriguing possibility. Ruiz has a lot to prove after his overweight disappointment in the Anthony Joshua rematch, while Whyte wants to prove, again, that he is fully deserving of a world title shot. Whyte-Ruiz would be a big opportunity for both men in the first quarter of next year. More likely, though, might be Whyte against Wallin. Wallin, who gave Tyson Fury all manner of unexpected trouble in September (the cut to Fury’s eye almost forcing the fight to be stopped), spoke recently of the possibility of fighting “a UK heavyweight.”
Whyte-Wallin makes sense. But the thing Whyte really wants, what he has earned and is overdue, is a title shot. Whyte, however, seems to have given up hope of getting into the ring with WBC champ Deontay Wilder.
“I’m not confident of anything to do with Deontay Wilder anymore,” Whyte, 27-1(18) said. “The WBC want me to fight, I want the fight, I’m mandatory, but Wilder don’t want to fight. What more can I do? Deontay Wilder is a coward. He’s a proper coward.”
Wilder is of course busy with his rematch (and then very possibly a third fight) with Tyson Fury, but Whyte should get his chance. For the time being all Whyte can do is do what he does best and that’s fight and keep busy. Whyte’s big chance HAS to come some time in 2020.