Deontay Wilder has been accused of avoiding Dillian Whyte for much of his career, with the British heavyweight saying he would still welcome the fight if the chance finally arrives. Whyte made the claim while speaking to Impact Boxing, after Wilder’s recent return to action raised fresh talk about his next move in the division.
Wilder, 40, edged Derek Chisora via split decision in a scrappy heavyweight contest earlier this month and scored two knockdowns along the way. The result suggested he may still have one more major win left in him, even though the performance was far removed from the peak version that once ruled the division with his blistering power.
Whyte says the fight has been delayed for years
Whyte did not hold back when discussing the matchup and said the clash has been long overdue. “I would love to fight Deontay Wilder; I’ve been trying to fight him for half of my career,” he said, adding that Wilder had been “running” from the bout.
That frustration reflects a rivalry that never quite reached the ring when both men were seen as major names at heavyweight. Whyte now says he would still take the opportunity, even as his own future in the sport looks uncertain.
Wilder’s form makes the matchup more intriguing
The renewed interest comes after Wilder’s recent run of results left questions about where he stands in the heavyweight picture. He was outpointed by Joseph Parker and then stopped by Zhilei Zhang in 2023 and 2024, which made the win over Chisora look like a needed step back in the right direction.
Still, Wilder is no longer the fighter who twice knocked Tyson Fury down in 2021 before losing by 11th-round stoppage. His latest outing suggested better timing and composure, but it also showed that he remains at a different stage of his career than during his title reign.
Whyte is also nearing the end of his own run
Whyte has his own questions to answer after suffering a first-round stoppage loss to Moses Itauma in August. For a short period, the Londoner was viewed as a real world-level contender, but he now appears close to the end of his heavyweight journey.
He once challenged Tyson Fury for the WBC heavyweight title in 2022, only to lose by sixth-round stoppage. Even so, Whyte’s comments show there is still interest in testing himself against Wilder before he walks away from boxing, if the fight can finally be made.
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