Dillian Whyte fails drug test, Anthony Joshua rematch canceled

Matchroom Boxing seeking replacement opponent for AJ

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Heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte has tested positive for a banned substance, causing his rematch with former two-time unified titleholder Anthony Joshua to be canceled on Saturday.

“Today, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed Matchroom, the Association of Boxing Commissions and the British Boxing Board of Control that Dillian Whyte had returned adverse analytical findings as part of a random anti-doping protocol,” Matchroom Boxing said in a statement. “In light of this news, the fight will be cancelled, and a full investigation will be conducted. Further information on the event will follow.”

Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs), 33, and British countryman Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs), 35, were scheduled to headline a Matchroom Boxing card Aug. 12 (DAZN PPV in U.K. and Ireland for £26.99, part of regular DAZN subscription around the rest of the world) at The O2 in London.

The substance for which Whyte tested positive has not been disclosed.

Matchroom Boxing is seeking a replacement opponent to face Joshua, a source involved in the event told Fight Freaks Unite.

There are four other heavyweights on the show, one of which potentially could fill in for Whyte. IBF mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic (15-0, 12 KOs), 31, of Croatia, is due to fight Demsey McKean (22-0, 14 KOs), 32, an Australian southpaw based in England, in the 12-round co-feature and British fan favorite and former title challenger Derek Chisora (33-13, 23 KOs), 39, coming off a one-sided 10th-round knockout to lineal/WBC champion Tyson Fury in December, is due to face former title challenger Gerald Washington (20-5-1, 13 KOs), of Vallejo, California, 41, in a 10-rounder.

This is Whyte’s third time having had a drug testing issue, but he denied knowingly taking a banned substance.

“I am shocked and devastated to learn of a report by VADA of adverse findings related to me,” Whyte said in a statement. “I only learned of it this (Saturday) morning and am still reacting to it. I have also just seen that the fight is being canceled without having any chance to demonstrate my innocence before the decision was taken.

“I can confirm without a shadow of doubt that I have not taken the reported substance, in this camp or at any point in my life. I am completely innocent and ask to be given the time to go through the process of proving this without anybody jumping to conclusions or trial by media. I insisted on 24/7 VADA testing for this fight, as I have done voluntarily and at my own expense for all of my fights for many, many years.

“This is not the firs time I have been reported as having an adverse finding for a substance which I have not taken, and as I did last time I will again prove that I am completely innocent. In the meantime all I can do is express my extreme disappointment to boxing fans, who will miss out on what was sure to be a great event.”

In 2019, Whyte was permitted by British regulators to go through with what was a unanimous 12-round decision over Oscar Rivas for the WBC interim heavyweight title at The O2 despite a drug violation that came to light during fight week in which he tested positive in for the banned steroid Dianabol in a United Kingdom Anti-Doping test.

The Rivas camp was never told about the failed drug test, angering the fighter and his team, but Whyte was allowed to compete on a technicality. UKAD eventually cleared Whyte of the violation and the WBC reinstated him as interim titleholder.

In 2012, Whyte tested positive for the banned stimulant Methylhexaneamine in a UKAD post-fight drug test following a fourth-round knockout of Sandor Balogh and was banned for two years.

Joshua elected to take the rematch with Whyte even though he is far down the road to finalizing a deal for a long-awaited showdown with former titleholder Deontay Wilder in December or January in Saudi Arabia. A Joshua loss would kill the fight with Wilder.

Joshua-Whyte II was to have been a rematch of Joshua’s seventh-round knockout of Whyte in a highly entertaining but one-sided fight in 2015 in the bout before Joshua won his first world title. Whyte, who barely outpointed Jermaine Franklin in his last fight in November after having been knocked out in the sixth round of a one-sided loss challenging Fury for the title in April 2022, handed Joshua a 2009 amateur loss before Joshua went on to win the 2012 Olympic super heavyweight gold medal in London.

Boxing News appearance

I also joined my friends at Boxing News to discuss the Joshua-Whyte cancellation, Terence Crawford’s huge win over Errol Spence Jr. to become the undisputed welterweight champion last week and Devin Haney’s decision to move up to junior welterweight to challenge WBC titlist Regis Prograis. Check out the video here:

Boxing Social appearance

I also joined my friends at Boxing Social to discuss the Joshua-Whyte cancellation and other aspects of what happened. Check out the video here:

Pro Boxing Fans appearance

I also joined my friends at Pro Boxing Fans to discuss the Joshua-Whyte situation. Check out the video here:

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Whyte photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

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