Unified Boxing World Heavyweight Champion, Anthony Joshua has told Dillian Whyte he is prepared to face him in the next defence of his world heavyweight titles if Deontay Wilder cannot be tempted to fight him at Wembley on April 13, according to a Daily Mirror report.
Whyte delivered a concussive conclusion to his rivalry with Dereck Chisora when he KO’d him in the 11th round of their rematch on Saturday night.
Joshua was ringside and clambered up on to the ring apron after Chisora had been helped to his feet.
But when he said he would only face Whyte if Wilder chooses to take on Tyson Fury, the crowd showed its displeasure – and Whyte left the ring in anger.
Joshua said: “If Deontay Wilder is serious and he is going to fight Tyson Fury and doesn’t want to become undisputed champion, Dillian you will get a shot.
“Dillian’s an idiot, because I showed him some respect. I knocked him clean out when we fought (in 2015), but I said let’s forget that because we have both improved so let’s prove who is the better fighter now.
“He starts piping up, I said ‘All right, cool’. I’m quite respectful but if Dillian steps in the ring with me you better believe me, none of these heavyweights are on my level, and I keep my lid on because I don’t want to explode on none of them.
“If Dillian’s serious, he can come get this work as well, but when the crowd want to see the fight with Dillian, I don’t want to hear no talk when I whoop him, ‘Oh he has had an easy touch, you should have fought Wilder’. Any of them are free to step in that ring with me.
“Everyone knows I need to fight Deontay Wilder, I’m ready. I’m proud of what Dillian has done. If it’s not Wilder, it’s Whyte over Miller.”
It was in response to Whyte insisting: “I deserve my shot, I’ve worked my way up”, that Joshua labelled him an “idiot”, and the two fighters’ promoter Eddie Hearn said it was a case of “when not if” their rematch is made.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
