Home Boxing News Eddie Hearn demands WBC reinstall Dillian Whyte as mandatory challenger

Eddie Hearn demands WBC reinstall Dillian Whyte as mandatory challenger

Dillian Whyte and Eddie Hearn. Photo credit: Reuters

Heavyweight contender Dillian ‘The Body Snatcher’ Whyte 27-1 (18) should be immediately installed as the WBC mandatory challenger, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn.

The 31-year-old Londoner was in line to challenger undefeated champion Deontay Wilder 42-0-1 (41) before his mandatory contender status was temporarily suspended by the WBC following a failed drugs test ahead of his July fight against Oscar Rivas.

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) cleared Whyte of any wrongdoing last week, clearing the way for his unanimous decision victory over Mariusz Wach on the Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua undercard in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.

The WBC had previously indicated Whyte could regain his top position in their rankings by February 2021, but Hearn wants to see action now.

“Dillian should get the mandatory position for the winner of Wilder vs Fury,” Hearn told Sky Sports.

“We go back to the WBC now and make sure they give him what he was supposed to get.

“In my opinion, they took it away unjustly, so now, bearing in mind the results of the case, they have to reinstate him immediately, and it should now come for the winner of that fight.”

Whyte reflected on the drama following his 98-93, 97-93 and 97-93 points win over Wach this past weekend.

“My last two fights have been hell – I won them, but they were hell,” the Brixton heavyweight revealed.

“The Rivas fight? I didn’t sleep for 48 hours before. I couldn’t sleep because I knew what was going on. I’d sold tickets and wondered if the show would go on.

“Pure madness, pure madness. It was crazy.

“I’m a tough person, a strong person. My team kept me motivated and said: ‘let’s get through this, you’re innocent, we’ll fight this’.

“Everyone was quick to throw me in a hole with no evidence and no facts. The facts are that I’m clean, I’ve always been clean and I’ve always been innocent.”