Dillian Whyte is open for a rematch with British heavyweight rival Anthony Joshua and willing to take up the offer to fight him at The O2 Arena as soon as August 12; as an amateur Whyte beat Joshua, before AJ defeated him in 2015. Whyte still wants the chance to avenge that loss
Saturday 24 June 2023 07:08, UK
Dillian Whyte is set to receive a contract for the rematch with Anthony Joshua after negotiations resumed on Friday afternoon.
Talks resumed in the wake of Whyte's radio interview, in which he verbally challenged Eddie Hearn over a breakdown in communication regarding the second fight, which is set to be staged at The O2 on August 12.
The Brixton man has indicated he will now take the proposed bout against his British rival - and is open to a 'winner-takes-all' fight.
Whyte has a long-running rivalry with Joshua. He beat AJ as an amateur, before Joshua went on to win an Olympic gold medal at London 2012.
As professionals, they boxed in a wild 2015 British heavyweight title, which Joshua won by seventh-round stoppage.
Joshua ultimately became a unified world champion. After suffering two back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, he came back with a win over Jermaine Franklin.
Whyte also rebuilt against Franklin after his 2022 WBC title fight loss to Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium.
"I've been up for fighting Joshua since the day I lost to him in 2015," Whyte previously told Sky Sports.
"The score is 1-1 so far. He's won one. I beat him in the amateurs, he beat me in the pros so I want to get even."
"I would love nothing more than to have a chance to avenge my defeat," he added.
"I'll just go to war. I want to go to war because I think that's a good way to fight him, pressure him, back him up and start getting him on the back foot as early as possible and I'm strong enough, I'm big enough to do that.
"I carry enough power obviously to back him up and to knock him out."