Home Boxing News Eddie Hearn: “Dillian Whyte can box tomorrow”

Eddie Hearn: “Dillian Whyte can box tomorrow”

Eddie Hearn and Dillian Whyte. Photo credit: Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Dillian Whyte could return to the ring tomorrow despite failing a drugs test, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.

The British heavyweight tested positive for a banned substance in the lead up to his clash with Oscar Rivas at London’s O2 Arena in July.

On the day of the fight Whyte attended a hearing where he was informed of the positive test but was cleared to fight. This information was not conveyed to the Rivas camp.

Whyte defeated the previously unbeaten Colombian by 12-round unanimous decision, becoming the mandatory challenger to Deontay Wilder’s WBC heavyweight crown in the process.

Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn said there is a hearing scheduled for October and that he expects the heavyweight to be cleared to continue his career.

“I’m actually seeing him on Monday (today) for an update,” Hearn said to World Boxing News. “his lawyers are dealing with UKAD. I believe there is some kind of hearing taking place in early October.

“Hopefully after that, everything will be published, cleared. Then he can continue to box.

“I think its important it’s dealt with before he fights again. Right now, he can box tomorrow but I don’t think that’s necessarily right for the paying public.

“But it’s important to know he’s cleared to box. He’s not suspended by anybody, he’s cleared to box. He’s able to box.

“But I just think for where he’s at in his career, for the profile he’s got, that he needs to draw a line under this and that’s what they’re trying to do.”

The 31-year-old Whyte hasn’t lost a fight in almost four years, dating back to his TKO loss to Anthony Joshua in December 2015.

During that time Whyte had logged 10 wins, including five by stoppage, with the scalps of former WBO champion Joseph Parker, Lucas Browne and Dereck Chisora on his ledger.