By Keith Idec
Dillian Whyte didn’t waste any time trying to land the fight he has been chasing against Deontay Wilder.
The British heavyweight contender volunteered Friday to replace Luis Ortiz on short notice now that Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs, 2 NC) has tested positive for banned substances in advance of his November 4 fight against Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs). The unbeaten WBC heavyweight champion is not expected to move forward with his optional title defense against the Cuban southpaw.
Wilder’s handlers are trying to find a suitable replacement for Ortiz with five weeks to go before Wilder’s November 4 fight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Bermane Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs), the mandatory challenger from whom Wilder won his title in January 2015, seems like the most logical substitute for Ortiz (//krikya360.com/wilders-handlers-considering-ortiz-replacements-november-4--120936).
Nonetheless, White wants that opportunity.
The Jamaican-born, London-based White issued this challenger to Wilder through Twitter on Friday: No excuses now @Bronzebomber I will take Ortizs place lets get it made @EddieHearn @premierboxing #ALWAYSREADY
The 29-year-old Whyte (21-1, 16 KOs) is training for a fight on the Anthony Joshua-Kubrat Pulev undercard October 28 in Cardiff, Wales, but he doesn’t have an opponent. Whyte has lost only to England’s Joshua (19-0, 19 KOs), who stopped Whyte in the seventh round of their December 2015 fight at O2 Arena in London.
Whyte wanted Wilder to travel to London to fight him earlier this year. Eddie Hearn, Whyte’s promoter, reportedly offered Wilder a $4 million purse to fight Whyte in the United Kingdom.
Wilder wasn’t interested in that fight, which prompted Whyte to pin this Tweet to his account since June 19: MISSING Fake Champion @BronzeBomber last seen off his nut running away from a record payday if seen please contact @EddieHearn #BongSquad
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.