Dillian Whyte has called out Deontay Wilder, labeling the former WBC heavyweight champion a "coward" for avoiding a fight with him. Whyte shared his thoughts in a recent interview with TalkSPORT, expressing frustration over being denied a title shot during Wilder's reign.
"The Bronze Bomber" Wilder had an impressive run in the heavyweight division. He went unbeaten for 43 fights and held the WBC World Championship for nearly five years. His powerful right hand made him a feared opponent, and he successfully defended his title against fighters like Chris Arreola, Luis Ortiz, and Dominic Breazeale.
Whyte, known as "The Bodysnatcher," had been pursuing a fight with Wilder for years. He told TalkSPORT:
"We had to take people to court and fight and I was risking the position for so long. Honestly, I wanted to fight Wilder. I'd have beat Wilder. I'd have knocked him out. I'd have smashed Wilder to bits and been WBC World Champion. But obviously Wilder's a coward and he messed me about for so long."
Wilder's reign came to an end when he lost to Tyson Fury in their second meeting. He failed to regain the title in their third fight. Since then, Wilder has suffered losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. It's worth noting that Whyte defeated Parker back in 2018.
Whyte's own career has had its ups and downs. He scored wins over Jermaine Franklin and Christian Hammer but lost to Tyson Fury by sixth-round stoppage when he finally got his WBC title shot. He also faced a setback when a failed doping test led to the cancellation of his rematch with Anthony Joshua. However, Whyte was later cleared to resume his boxing career after it was confirmed that a contaminated supplement caused the positive test.
Despite recent losses, Wilder's trainer Malik Scott has confirmed that the "Bronze Bomber" will continue fighting. This opens up the possibility of a match-up between Whyte and Wilder, which could be a good first step for both fighters as they look to climb back up the heavyweight rankings.
The potential clash between Whyte and Wilder would surely generate interest among boxing fans, given their history and Whyte's recent comments. It remains to be seen if this fight will materialize, but it would certainly provide both fighters with a chance to prove themselves once again in the heavyweight division.
