By Keith Idec

If a long-discussed Dillian Whyte-Dereck Chisora fight doesn’t happen next month, Tony Thompson is more than willing to fight Whyte.

Thompson is 45, but has pulled off upsets against then-unbeaten British heavyweight David Price and Cuban contender Odlanier Solis in recent years. The colorful former championship challenger doesn’t think Whyte, who’s 17 years younger than him, is nearly as good as many of the heavyweights the Washington, D.C., native has fought during his 16-year pro career.

“I’m just sitting around training, waiting for another fight,” Thompson told krikya360.com. “My people said that Dillian Whyte was looking for a fight in a couple of weeks and I said, ‘Great. Make it.’ So I guess I’m just waiting on that fool to decide. Ain’t no real money in it, but that’s easy work and it will put me back in position, so I’m good with it.”

Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz (25-0, 22 KOs) knocked out Thompson (40-7, 27 KOs) in the sixth round of Thompson’s last fight, which took place March 5 at D.C. Armory in Washington. Whyte (19-1, 15 KOs), who tentatively is scheduled to fight November 26 at Wembley Arena in London, most recently defeated London’s Ian Lewison (12-3-1, 8 KOs) by technical knockout following the 10th round October 7 in Glasgow, Scotland.

“Dillian Whyte’s claim to fame is going a couple of rounds with Anthony Joshua,” Thompson said. “What the [bleep] is that about? He ain’t beat nobody, ever. Whyte is a C-level fighter, at best. If I can’t beat a guy like that, that’s when I’d retire. I’m still rated No. 18 on boxrec, much higher than him. So boxrec knows what’s up. Hughie Fury didn’t want it. David Price don’t want a third fight. So maybe I’ll get a chance to whoop this fool’s ass.”

Even if he doesn’t land the Whyte fight, Thompson doesn’t intend to retire any time soon.

“People ask me why I still fight,” Thompson said. “It’s because I love it and can still do it. Ortiz, Price, Solis, [Carlos] Takam, [Wladimir] Klitschko – nobody fights the level of opposition I do in the heavyweight division. [Shoot], Dillian Whyte would be the easiest fight I’ve had in five years. Hopefully we can do it. I love the UK and I love the UK boxing fans, but [your] heavyweights ain't sh*t!”

Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.