Tag: dillian whyte

Eddie Hearn: Anthony Joshua willing to fight Dillian Whyte if Tyson Fury doesn’t

Eddie Hearn said that Anthony Joshua is ready to face Dillian Whyte if the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III winner doesn’t.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.

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Eddie Hearn has confirmed that Anthony Joshua is ready to face Dillian Whyte if Tyson Fury beats Deontay Wilder in their third fight, fails to defend and is stripped of his title.

Whyte is due to take on Alexander Povetkin on Aug. 22, though Joshua is not convinced the British fighter will come through unscathed.

A win for Whyte would nevertheless set up a clash with the winner of the fight between WBC heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, which is expected to take place late this year or early next year.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Hearn said: “Looking at the bigger undisputed picture, all Joshua wants is the WBC title. He was never worried if it came against Wilder or Fury. Whoever owns that belt is who Joshua will face for the undisputed championship.”

The Matchroom promoter set out how Whyte could find himself as Joshua’s opponent for a unification fight if the winner of Fury-Wilder III fails to take on the winner of Whyte-Povetkin.

“We know the winner of Saturday’s fight will be ordered to face the winner of Fury vs Wilder,” he said. “If Fury [or Wilder] does not want to fight Whyte, then Whyte will be elevated to champion from interim champion.

“Now I do not like that. But what will happen? Joshua will fight Whyte straight away for the undisputed championship. You always want to fight a champion.

“But if Fury [or Wilder] refuses to do a fight that has been ordered by the WBC, then he will be stripped of his title. Then Whyte will be fighting for the undisputed championship.

“Whyte has had the bad end of the stick for a long time but could end up, if he’s successful, fighting Joshua for the undisputed championship. So this is massive for him.”

Hearn questioned Whyte’s choices of opponent

“For Whyte, he has waited over 1,000 days for this opportunity, but Povetkin could steal it from under his nose,” Hearn said. “I still can’t believe Whyte is taking these risks.

“When you sit as the mandatory challenger, what you don’t do is fight Joseph Parker, Derek Chisora, Oscar Rivas and Povetkin while you wait. What is Whyte doing by fighting Povetkin here?

“This isn’t The O2. This will be the strangest environment either guy has ever boxed in.”

The promoter talked up what these decisions meant for Whyte’s reputation as a fighter.

“Whyte, time and time again, puts it all on the line. He is the peoples’ champion,” Hearn said. “Whyte is not your average individual. He has built a mind-set over the last three months in training camp, although he has had it for most of his life, that he’s ready to flick the switch and go to war with Povetkin.”

The prospective Joshua-Whyte clash would not just be a potential unifying bout, but could serve to settle the rivalry between the two heavyweights. Joshua knocked out Whyte in 2015, his only career loss.

Joshua, who holds three of the four major titles, also stopped Povetkin in seven rounds in 2018 but did not have an easy time of it, and Hearn suggested that the 40-year-old Russian will not be a pushover for Whyte.

“I spoke to AJ who doesn’t like this fight for Whyte,” he said. “He thinks that this is a banana skin and that Povetkin could upset the odds.”

Mauricio Sulaiman of the WBC, whose belt Fury holds, refused to speculate on the potential permutations suggested by Hearn.

“We can only rule on what is available and what is the reality,” he said. “The WBC position is clear: Wilder-Fury, the winner against Whyte, if he wins against Povetkin.”

Whyte will face Povetkin in the main event at Fight Camp Week 4.

Eddie Hearn: Anthony Joshua willing to fight Dillian Whyte if Tyson Fury doesn’t

Eddie Hearn said that Anthony Joshua is ready to face Dillian Whyte if the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III winner doesn’t.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.

***

Eddie Hearn has confirmed that Anthony Joshua is ready to face Dillian Whyte if Tyson Fury beats Deontay Wilder in their third fight, fails to defend and is stripped of his title.

Whyte is due to take on Alexander Povetkin on Aug. 22, though Joshua is not convinced the British fighter will come through unscathed.

A win for Whyte would nevertheless set up a clash with the winner of the fight between WBC heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, which is expected to take place late this year or early next year.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Hearn said: “Looking at the bigger undisputed picture, all Joshua wants is the WBC title. He was never worried if it came against Wilder or Fury. Whoever owns that belt is who Joshua will face for the undisputed championship.”

The Matchroom promoter set out how Whyte could find himself as Joshua’s opponent for a unification fight if the winner of Fury-Wilder III fails to take on the winner of Whyte-Povetkin.

“We know the winner of Saturday’s fight will be ordered to face the winner of Fury vs Wilder,” he said. “If Fury [or Wilder] does not want to fight Whyte, then Whyte will be elevated to champion from interim champion.

“Now I do not like that. But what will happen? Joshua will fight Whyte straight away for the undisputed championship. You always want to fight a champion.

“But if Fury [or Wilder] refuses to do a fight that has been ordered by the WBC, then he will be stripped of his title. Then Whyte will be fighting for the undisputed championship.

“Whyte has had the bad end of the stick for a long time but could end up, if he’s successful, fighting Joshua for the undisputed championship. So this is massive for him.”

Hearn questioned Whyte’s choices of opponent

“For Whyte, he has waited over 1,000 days for this opportunity, but Povetkin could steal it from under his nose,” Hearn said. “I still can’t believe Whyte is taking these risks.

“When you sit as the mandatory challenger, what you don’t do is fight Joseph Parker, Derek Chisora, Oscar Rivas and Povetkin while you wait. What is Whyte doing by fighting Povetkin here?

“This isn’t The O2. This will be the strangest environment either guy has ever boxed in.”

The promoter talked up what these decisions meant for Whyte’s reputation as a fighter.

“Whyte, time and time again, puts it all on the line. He is the peoples’ champion,” Hearn said. “Whyte is not your average individual. He has built a mind-set over the last three months in training camp, although he has had it for most of his life, that he’s ready to flick the switch and go to war with Povetkin.”

The prospective Joshua-Whyte clash would not just be a potential unifying bout, but could serve to settle the rivalry between the two heavyweights. Joshua knocked out Whyte in 2015, his only career loss.

Joshua, who holds three of the four major titles, also stopped Povetkin in seven rounds in 2018 but did not have an easy time of it, and Hearn suggested that the 40-year-old Russian will not be a pushover for Whyte.

“I spoke to AJ who doesn’t like this fight for Whyte,” he said. “He thinks that this is a banana skin and that Povetkin could upset the odds.”

Mauricio Sulaiman of the WBC, whose belt Fury holds, refused to speculate on the potential permutations suggested by Hearn.

“We can only rule on what is available and what is the reality,” he said. “The WBC position is clear: Wilder-Fury, the winner against Whyte, if he wins against Povetkin.”

Whyte will face Povetkin in the main event at Fight Camp Week 4.

WBC orders Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III winner to face Dillian Whyte

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman ordered the winner of Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder II to face mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.

***

If Anthony Joshua handles his mandatory challenge against Kubrat Pulev and Tyson Fury defeats Deontay Wilder in their third fight, the plan was for AJ and the Gypsy King to face each other for the undisputed heavyweight championship. A two-fight deal has even been agreed upon in principle.

Well, the WBC is saying not so fast.

If Fury defeats Wilder again in a bout that’s tentatively slated for Dec. 19, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman wants all to know that Dillian Whyte will be next in line to take a crack at Fury’s WBC title.

“The WBC has reviewed every single weight category, considering the pandemic,” Sulaiman told Sky Sports in a story published Friday. “We have had the flexibility with our champions and the WBC has approved Fury to fight by the end of the year, if it’s announced that it might be December 19, and the winner must make the mandatory defense early next year.

“When the [Fury-Wilder] fight takes place, we will order the pre-negotiations so it’s a process that the promoters negotiate the fight and a date,” he continued. “It makes no sense to speculate on a date, but it’s going to be early next year when they are able to negotiate, or it goes to a purse bid.”

That’s where Whyte would come in as the mandatory WBC challenger, assuming he beats Alexander Povetkin on Aug. 22.

Like Sulaiman, Eddie Hearn expects Whyte to stake his claim as the mandatory challenger to Fury’s throne, and the Matchroom Boxing promoter even has a timetable for it to happen.

“Dillian takes priority,” Hearn also told Sky Sports. “Dillian has to have that fight by the end of February, and if it goes into March, it goes into March. Anthony Joshua is boxing in December. He won’t be ready to box again until June, July. Everybody acknowledges that’s the mandatory and that it’s next.”

Frank Warren proposes ‘Queensberry vs. Matchroom’ series to Eddie Hearn

Frank Warren says the time is right for he and Eddie Hearn to put their differences aside for the good of British boxing.

Frank Warren has issued a challenge to rival boxing promoter Eddie Hearn to set up a card in the near future pitting some of Warren’s best Queensberry Promotions fighters against Matchroom Boxing’s elite.

However, many — including Hearn himself — seem to be uncertain as to whether this is something Warren would really like to discuss or if it’s simply gamesmanship on the road to an eventual heavyweight unification megafight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Warren wrote in a column on his official website entitled ‘A Message To Matchroom And Sky’ that “the time is right to throw off the shackles”.

Those “shackles” would presumably be the delicate nature of television rights, with Warren’s Queensberry airing on BT Sport as opposed to Matchroom’s deal with Sky.

With both promotions working to find a way around that conflict and deliver Joshua vs. Fury in the future, it appears Warren doesn’t believe that all-British heavyweight extravaganza should be the only cross-promotional outing.

Hearn was quoted in June as saying titleholders champion Fury and Joshua had agreed to a two-fight deal, though the finer details were yet to be worked out.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 has forced both promoters to get creative in order to get live fights back on the schedule. Hearn has begun to stage Fight Camp shows from the back garden of his headquarters, while Warren has been operating out of BT Sport studios in London.

“Queensberry’s finest versus the best of Matchroom,” wrote Warren. “What I am proposing is to break down the borders and give the fans the fights they want to see.

“Forget about promoter pride and egos, it is not about us,” he continued. “This is the time to turbo-charge boxing right back into the mainstream and capture the imagination of the watching public.

“Who wouldn’t want to see Dillian Whyte taking on the best young heavyweight in the world, Daniel Dubois, later this year or early next while Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are busy making other plans?

“Any takers for Joe Joyce against Dereck Chisora? Archie Sharp v Zelfa Barrett? Hamzah Sheeraz v Ted Cheeseman? Charlie Edwards v Kal Yafai?

“What about seeing Nathan Gorman step in the ring with Dave Allen? There are numerous potential bangers there to be made and no good reason not to make them.

“You could say I am throwing down the gauntlet and I would hope this honest proposal is taken at face value and not blithely dismissed. For the long-term good of our sport, now is the time to put up or shut up.”

Hearn later responded to the challenge, noting that while he’s open to some co-operation down the line, it isn’t as easy as Warren is suggesting.

“It was an interesting move,” Hearn told the Mirror. “There’s no reason why we can’t discuss it. But it’s important for people to know that last week alone, the British Boxing Board of Control received three or more emails of complaint from Queensberry about our Fight Camp card, trying to grass on things that didn’t even exist.

“Apart from that, all I ever get from them is legal letters and fake Twitter accounts. So let’s see where it goes, but I understand it’s tough times, so if I can help them out in any way, I will consider it for sure. Right now I’m laser focused on our business and delivering for our fighters.”

On Wednesday, Warren responded to Hearn’s quotes on Twitter:

While it’s understandable that Hearn (and others) would question the sincerity of Warren’s proposal, there’s no denying the appeal of such an inter-promotional challenge series, if this post-coronavirus age did indeed make it the right move for all involved.

Video: Ak & Barak: Is Dillian Whyte’s plight a blight on boxing?

Dillian Whyte has been the WBC’s No. 1 contender for most of the last 2½ years and is still waiting to fight for the heavyweight title. And the Londoner won’t be doing so in his next fight, a scheduled 12-rounder against Alexander Povetkin on Aug. …

Dillian Whyte has been the WBC’s No. 1 contender for most of the last 2½ years and is still waiting to fight for the heavyweight title.

And the Londoner won’t be doing so in his next fight, a scheduled 12-rounder against Alexander Povetkin on Aug. 22 at Matchroom Boxing’s “Fight Camp” outside London.

When will it happen for Whyte, assuming he beats Povetkin? No one knows.

The WBC titleholder, Tyson Fury, is expected to face Deontay Wilder a third time in the next several months and there has been talk of Fury going directly into a showdown with fellow titleholder Anthony Joshua.

Is Whyte getting screwed? If so, it that an indication that boxing is getting it wrong? Or is the fact that Fury is pursuing fights the fans want to see a good sign?

In this episode of The Ak & Barak Show, courtesy of DAZN, hosts Akin Reyes and Barak Bess discuss that topic.

The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.

[jwplayer UGWR3PDj]

 

Video: Mannix, Mora: Will Dillian Whyte spoil Fury-Joshua plans?

The heavyweight picture seems pretty clear. Titleholders Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have fights set with Deontay Wilder and Kubrat Pulev, respectively, before the end of this year or early next year. If they both win, the plan is for Fury to face …

The heavyweight picture seems pretty clear.

Titleholders Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have fights set with Deontay Wilder and Kubrat Pulev, respectively, before the end of this year or early next year.

If they both win, the plan is for Fury to face Joshua in a huge all-British showdown next.

One man could stand in the way: Dillian Whyte, who will be favored to beat Alexander Povetkin next month. Whyte is the mandatory challenger to the title Fury holds. If he beats Povetkin, the Fury-Wilder winner can’t ignore him.

The Jamaican-born Londoner said emphatically that he will not accept money to step aside.

DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora give their thoughts on the situation on this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora.

[jwplayer wFX4Vnws]

 

 

 

 

Katie Taylor, Delfine Persoon agree to rematch on Whyte-Povetkin card

Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon have agreed to a rematch on the Dillian Whyte-Alexander Povetkin card Aug. 22.

Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon reportedly will do it again.

Taylor, the undisputed lightweight titleholder, will face Persoon in a rematch on the Dillian Whyte-Alexander Povetkin card Aug. 22 at Matchroom Boxing’s Fight Camp outside London.

Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs) unified the lightweight titles by a close majority decision over Persoon in June of last year in New York, after which Persoon cried robbery. The scores were 96-94, 96-94 and 95-95.

The 2012 Olympic champion from Ireland added a junior welterweight title by outpointing Christina Linardatou in November, thus becoming a two-division champion, but she’s moving back down because the magnitude of the rematch.

She had hoped to fight Amanda Serrano but the parties couldn’t reach terms.

“With Amanda Serrano not taking the fight, I wanted the biggest fight possible in August, and I think a second Persoon fight is one that everyone wants to see,” Taylor said, according to Sky Sports.

“I’ve been looking forward to a rematch ever since the first fight, and I’m delighted it’s been made. It was definitely very close first time around, but I felt I deserved the win, and I intend to leave no doubts in the rematch.”

Persoon (44-2, 18 KOs) lost a sanctioning-body belt she had held for five years against Taylor. The Belgian veteran believes she has received an opportunity to right a wrong.

“I am ready to get the victory following the injustice last June in New York,” Persoon said. “Not by words, but in the ring. I am ready!”

Persoon is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Helen Joseph in November.

Welcome to Eddie Hearn’s ‘Matchroom Square Garden’

Promoter Eddie Hearn on his “Fight Camp” series: “We need to make sure those fights are compelling.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that a series of August fight nights will take place in his garden, with Dillian Whyte’s heavyweight showdown against Alexander Povetkin the standout bout.

Boxing, like most other sports, went on a hiatus earlier this year when the coronavirus pandemic spread across the world.

However, boxing and UFC cards have recently returned in the United States behind closed doors, and Matchroom promoter Hearn had spoken of his ambitious plans to resume boxing in the United Kingdom, too, in a special ring built in the garden of the Matchroom headquarters in Essex, outside London.

Matchroom’s “Fight Camp” will see boxers brought into a bubble before fighting on four dates between Aug. 1 and Aug. 22.
The final night will see Katie Taylor put her lightweight titles on the line against an as-yet-unnamed opponent before Whyte and Povetkin meet in a heavyweight fight.

“We’ve of course got Madison Square Garden, this is Matchroom Square Garden,” Hearn told Sky Sports. “We’ve been working diligently with the British Boxing Board of Control for the last three months. We’re in a position where we know the procedures that have to take place to make the sport safe to return.

“We feel like we’ve done it at the right time, we feel like everything’s safe. We’ve got a brilliant schedule of fights lined up and we can’t wait to bring boxing back to your screens.

“We have no crowd, we don’t have the 80,000 singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ and have the energy of the audience, but what we do have is the beauty of boxing, the rawness of the sport.

“We need to make sure those fights are compelling.”

Whyte has long been the mandatory challenger for the belt held by Tyson Fury, who is set to face Deontay Wilder for a third time after taking the strap off the American in February.

A path to a future fight with Fury has been further complicated by the title-holder having already agreed two bouts against fellow Brit Anthony Joshua, who has the rest of the division’s major belts.

Welcome to Eddie Hearn’s ‘Matchroom Square Garden’

Promoter Eddie Hearn on his “Fight Camp” matchups: “We need to make sure those fights are compelling.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that a series of August fight nights will take place in his garden, with Dillian Whyte’s heavyweight showdown against Alexander Povetkin the standout bout.

Boxing, like most other sports, went on a hiatus earlier this year when the coronavirus pandemic spread across the world.

However, boxing and UFC cards have recently returned in the United States behind closed doors, and Matchroom promoter Hearn had spoken of his ambitious plans to resume boxing in the United Kingdom, too, in a special ring built in the garden of the Matchroom office in Essex, outside London.

Matchroom’s “Fight Camp” will see boxers brought into a bubble before fighting on four nights from August 1 to August 22.

The final night will see Katie Taylor put her lightweight titles on the line against an as-yet-unnamed opponent before Whyte and Povetkin meet in a heavyweight fight.

“We’ve of course got Madison Square Garden, this is Matchroom Square Garden,” Hearn told Sky Sports. “We’ve been working diligently with the British Boxing Board of Control for the last three months. We’re in a position where we know the procedures that have to take place to make the sport safe to return.

https://twitter.com/MatchroomBoxing/status/1276509139494146050

“We feel like we’ve done it at the right time, we feel like everything’s safe. We’ve got a brilliant schedule of fights lined up and we can’t wait to bring boxing back to your screens.

“We have no crowd, we don’t have the 80,000 singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ and have the energy of the audience, but what we do have is the beauty of boxing, the rawness of the sport.

“We need to make sure those fights are compelling.”

Whyte has long been the mandatory challenger for the belt held by Tyson Fury, who is set to face Deontay Wilder for a third time after taking the strap off the American in February.

A path to a future fight with Fury has been further complicated by the titleholder having already agreed two bouts against fellow Brit Anthony Joshua, who has the rest of the division’s major belts.

Matchroom Boxing to return with Fight Camp series

Eddie Hearn on Friday announced the full schedule for Fight Camp, which will take place throughout August at Matchroom’s headquarters.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on DAZN.com.

***

Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing on Friday announced the full schedule for Fight Camp, which will take place throughout August at Matchroom’s headquarters outside London and mark the organization’s return to live action from its coronavirus-prompted hiatus.

The boxing series will feature all outdoor fights over the span of four weeks in Brentwood, England.

Fight Camp will end with a bang on Aug. 22, when Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) will face Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs) in a heavyweight bout. Katie Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs) also will defend her lightweight titles that night.

Taylor’s opponent has not been announced, but Hearn has said he’s working on a deal with Amanda Serrano.

The fights will be shown live on DAZN in the U.S. and Sky Sports in the U.K., with the final week on Sky Sports Box Office.

Below is the complete schedule for Matchroom’s Fight Camp in August.

Saturday, Aug. 1

  • Sam Eggington (28-6, 17 KOs) vs. Ted Cheeseman (15-2-1, 9 KOs)
  • James Tennyson (26-3, 22 KOs) vs. Gavin Gwynne (12-1, 2 KOs)
  • Jordan Gill (24-1, 7 KOs) vs. Reece Bellotti (14-3, 12 KOs)
  • Fabio Wardley (8-0, 7 KOs) vs. Simon Vallily (17-2-1, 7 KOs)
  • Dalton Smith (5-0, 4 KOs) vs. Nathan Bennett (9-1, 2 KOs)

Friday, Aug. 7

  • Terri Harper (10-0, 5 KOs) vs. Natasha Jonas (9-1, 7 KOs)
  • Chris Billam-Smith (10-1, 9 KOs) vs. Nathan Thorley (14-0, 6 KOs)
  • Anthony Fowler (12-1, 9 KOs) vs. Adam Harper (9-1)
  • Aqib Fiaz (5-0) vs. Kane Baker (13-6)
  • Hopey Price (2-0) vs. TBD

Friday, Aug. 14

  • Felix Cash (12-0, 8 KOs) vs. Jason Welborn (24-8, 7 KOs)
  • Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) vs. Eric Donovan (12-0, 7 KOs)
  • Kieron Conway (14-1-1, 3 KOs) vs. Navid Mansouri (20-3-2, 6 KOs)
  • Shannon Courtenay (5-0, 2 KOs) vs. Rachel Ball (5-1)
  • John Docherty (8-0, 6 KOs) vs. TBD

Saturday, Aug. 22

  • Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) vs. Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs)
  • Katie Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs) vs. TBD
  • Martin Bakole (15-1, 12 KOs) vs. Sergey Kuzmin (15-1, 11 KOs)
  • Luther Clay (13-1, 5 KOs) vs. Chris Kongo (11-0, 6 KOs)