Dillian Whyte believes Anthony Joshua is making a premature return to boxing and thinks a fight against Deontay Wilder would be a sensible choice for his next bout. Joshua's last fight 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, while Whyte downplayed the possibility of a rematch against his old rival. Whyte stated, 'I'd love to fight AJ, but no one has approached me about it, and I think he's more likely to face Wilder now, which makes sense.' He also predicted that Joshua would emerge victorious against Wilder, saying, 'If AJ fights Wilder, he'll 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 showdown.
However, a potential meeting with Wilder beforehand could jeopardize these plans, leading Whyte to suggest that Joshua should take more time to recover. Whyte expressed concern that Joshua is returning to the ring too soon, saying, 'I think he needs more time to process and come to terms with what's happened.
What he's gone through is a significant loss, and it's not something to be taken lightly.' 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 his recent defeat, Whyte has 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 be more mindful, learn from my mistakes, and ensure that certain things don't happen again.'