Dillian Whyte believes that Deontay Wilder would be a sensible next opponent for Anthony Joshua, but thinks the former champion is making a premature comeback to boxing. Joshua's last bout was in December, and he has since been involved in a fatal car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close friends. Following his victory over Derek Chisora, Wilder expressed interest in facing Joshua, prompting Whyte to downplay the likelihood of a rematch between himself and his old rival.
Whyte stated, 'I would love it, but no one has mentioned it to me, and I don't think it's on the cards. AJ is probably looking to fight Deontay Wilder now, which is a fight that makes sense.' He also predicted that Joshua would emerge victorious against Wilder, saying, 'If AJ fights Wilder, he will sell out the venue and likely knock him out.' Joshua is expected to face Tyson Fury later this year in a highly anticipated all-British heavyweight clash. However, a potential meeting with Wilder beforehand could jeopardize these plans, leading Whyte to suggest that Joshua should take more time to recover. 'I think he's getting back in the ring too soon,' Whyte said.
'He needs time to process and come to terms with what's happened. Losing loved ones is a heavy burden, and he should give himself more time to grieve and reflect.' Whyte, who suffered a first-round knockout defeat to Moses Itauma in August last year, has yet to confirm his next steps.
He acknowledged that his performance in Saudi Arabia was not representative of his true abilities, saying, 'It wasn't me, and anyone with a brain can see that.' Despite having fought only three times since 2022, Whyte dismissed suggestions of retirement, stating, 'I know who I am, and I know I can still compete at the top level. I just need to learn from my mistakes and ensure that certain things don't happen again.'