Dillian Whyte appears to be a win away from fighting for the WBC heavyweight title after the Mexican sanctioning body decreed the victor of Saturday’s trilogy showdown between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder will have 30 days to agree an undisputed title fight with Oleksandr Usyk or move on to a mandatory defence against Interim belt holder Whyte.
Given that WBA Super, WBO and IBF champion Usyk has a second engagement lined up against Anthony Joshua after the former title holder invoked a rematch clause, that opportunity would almost certainly fall to Whyte, if he beats Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin at the O2 Arena on October 30.
“The WBC Board of Governors has reviewed the recent history in the heavyweight division,” said the WBC in a statement. “Considering the long inactivity in the division due to the pandemic, ongoing legal processes, and covid 19 infections, the WBC has ruled that the winner of this fight will have 30 days to secure a contract to unify the heavyweight division against WBO-IBF-WBA champion Oleksandr Usyk in search of an undisputed champion in the division.
“If no unification bout is secured within that time, the winner of Fury vs Wilder III must then fight next against the then reigning WBC Interim Heavyweight Champion [Whyte or Wallin].”
On November 9, the future path of the WBC heavyweight title should become apparent after Fury’s failed unification bout with Joshua, following Wilder’s successful legal bid to enforce a contracted third fight with the Gypsy King, muddied the waters.