Matchroom Promoter, Eddie Hearn, has knocked back claims that Derek Chisora knew of Dillian Whyte’s failed drugs test over a week ago, which has since led to the collapse of Whyte’s rematch with Anthony Joshua.
Former heavyweight champion and now friend of Chisora, David Haye, revealed that ‘Del Boy’ had informed him of Whyte’s failed drugs test last week and that he was preparing to step up and face ‘AJ’, rather than Gerald Washington, his scheduled opponent for the night.
However, Hearn has refuted these claims to Boxing Social, denying any possibility that Chisora could have had this prior knowledge.
“I think that he said that he had a feeling that Dillian Whyte would fail a drugs test, Derek says some very bizarre things, obviously this time it came true.
But, the test results came, there was no phone call, no previous information, no heads-up, it came via an e-mail and was followed by a call from Margaret Goodman, from VADA. That’s when we were made aware of the situation.”
“I was made aware around 8PM (E.T.), about to go for a bite to eat, Saturday morning in UK time.”
After initial panic and concern that Saturday’s event would be cancelled, Hearn and Matchroom have managed to find a replacement in Robert Helenius.
That addition saves both the main-event and the bouts between Chisora and Washington, and Filip Hrgovic and Demsey McKean, after all four men were linked as potential replacements for Whyte.
Anthony Joshua will fight Helenius at the O2 Arena on Saturday August 12, just one week after the latter’s most recent contest, which took place in a Finnish castle.
The full card will be available to stream live on DAZN, as part of the regular subscription rather than on pay-per-view.