DEONTAY WILDER’S team are worried about taking the Anthony Joshua fight in the UK after fellow heavyweight Dillian Whyte’s drugs test scandal.
Whyte, 31, beat Oscar Rivas on points in June but after the bout it was revealed UKAD reported an ‘adverse finding’ in his pre-fight drug test.
Deontay Wilder is keen to fight in the UK – but his team have some concernsCredit: Getty
The British Board of Boxing Control still cleared the heavyweight to fight after a hearing, but the WBC later stripped him of his mandatory world title status.
However, one day before Whyte fought and beat Mariusz Wach on AJ’s undercard in Saudi Arabia, UKAD cleared the Brit of any doping charges.
But the whole scenario has left Team Wilder with some concerns ahead of a blockbuster unification fight with Joshua, who got his belts back by outpointing Ruiz at the weekend.
Wilder holds the only other heavyweight world title belt not in Joshua’s possession, the WBC strap, which he will defend in a rematch against Tyson Fury on February 22.
‘POTENTIALLY CRIMINAL’
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Wilder’s trainer and manager Jay Deas said: “Wherever (the fight) makes the most sense is fine with us — I don’t have any qualms about travelling or anything of that nature.
“But I will tell you, I would certainly be concerned given the Dillian Whyte situation.
“I know that they cleared him of the drug thing but still, when they had a positive result, and did not tell the opponent, that’s problematic.
“I think that’s potentially criminal. That’s a big, big issue for me.”
Jay Deas, pictured here training Deontay Wilder, is worried for his man if he fights in the UKCredit: Getty Images – Getty
WILDER LOVES UK
Deas went on to say that the fallout from the Whyte-Rivas fight “did not help” British boxing, and believes that “questions need to be answered” with how the whole situation was handled.
But he has refused to rule out Wilder travelling over to the UK to decide who is the undisputed heavyweight king, adding that the American “loves it there”.
Wilder has fought before in the UK, when he battered Audley Harrison in 2013.
Whyte tested positive for metabolites before the fight, but UKAD since confirmed the traces found were “extremely low”.
The heavyweight also passed further UKAD and VADA tests pre and post fight.
As a result, UKAD said: “In light of the above points, the trace amounts of metabolites found in the 20 June 2019 sample are consistent with an isolated contamination event, and they are not suggestive of doping.”
Anthony Joshua holds the four other world title belts that Deontay doesn’t haveCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Wilder’s manager Jay Deas has serious concerns with British boxing after Dillian Whyte’s drugs test scandalCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Anthony Joshua wants to take on Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder next year and thinks he can beat them both
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
