Whyte is currently in Portugal preparing to face Alexander Povetkin in Brentwood, Essex, without a live audience, on August 22
Dillian Whyte has criticised the highest paid boxers in the world for refusing pay cuts to fight behind closed doors and keep the sport’s blue riband heavyweight division buoyant.
Whyte, the mandatory challenger for the World Boxing Council title held by Tyson Fury, is in Portugal preparing to face Alexander Povetkin on the lawns of Matchroom Sport in Brentwood, Essex, without a live audience, on August 22.
“There is no reason why there shouldn’t be these big fights. These are testing times. We need to adapt. We can’t just stop and sit around. The world doesn’t stop” said Whyte, referring to rivals Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
“Okay, there’s a pandemic going on, but there are still measures that can be taken so we can still work in a safe, healthy environment. That’s what we’ve got to do. Say things never go back to normal, what are we going to do? Give up? No, we have to adapt.”
The WBC has mandated that Whyte must have the opportunity to challenge for the title before February 2021, but with the trilogy fight between Fury and Deontay Wilder tentatively penciled in for December 19 in Las Vegas, it seems likely that Whyte’s opportunity will have to wait until next spring.
“You can’t just sit and wait for crowds to come back” added Whyte. “No, get on with it. I’ll have another one [behind closed doors] if I have to”
Whyte was incensed when Fury announced he had “agreed” a fight with Joshua two weeks ago, which ignored the mandated fight with him.
“I thought, ‘they’re taking the p—‘. That’s what I thought” said Whyte. “Straight away I got on the phone to Eddie Hearn and my guy got on the phone to WBC to ask what was going on and to ask why my mandatory challenge was being overlooked again. I was enraged.”
Whyte has been waiting almost 1,000 days for his chance to challenge for the WBC crown, but in the meantime he has grown as a fighter and box-office star in the UK.
“Something needs to change, I’ve had enough. Enough is enough. I’ve beaten more WBC top 10 contenders than both Fury and Wilder put together” he said.
Promotionally, Hearn oversees the careers of Whyte and Joshua, which has seemed a conflict of interest at times. “The problem is Eddie’s got me and Joshua” said Whyte. Eddie’s got the world champion and No 1 contender to keep happy.
“It’s been hard. He’s telling me he’s trying to make the fight, but who is trying to make the fight for? It’s been quite frustrating and I’ve come close to leaving Eddie at times. But we do always work it out. But enough is enough. We’ve got to do something now. It’s been a long, rocky, up and down road. It’s made the story even better I guess. Now when I get the WBC title shot and win the title, it’ll make it even better.”
Elsewhere, the mandatory challenger to Joshua’s IBF belt, Kubrat Pulev, complained on Wednesday that Hearn has been stalling in re-scheduling their contest which was postponed on June 20 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ivaylo Gotzev, Pulev’s co-promoter, accused Hearn of “smoke and mirror” tactics over a new venue and slammed Hearn for “dragging his heels” on arranging the clash.
Hearn is a guy who “does not deliver on his promises” said Gotzev. Hearn had suggested that Joshua-Pulev could take place in Croatia later this year.