By Richard Damerell

Dillian Whyte is willing to face Tyson Fury next in a WBC final eliminator, but doubts whether the former world heavyweight champion would accept a fight.

Whyte is already risking his No 1 status with the WBC against Oscar Rivas at The O2 on July 20, live on Sky Sports Box Office, and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman had suggested the Brixton man could then be ordered to fight Fury for the right to become mandatory challenger.

A long-awaited fight with WBC champion Wilder has continued to elude Whyte, although he would welcome a showdown against Fury, insisting he had pursued him in the past.

“If Tyson Fury wants the fight, the fight is there,” Whyte told Sky Sports. “We’ve been trying to fight Tyson Fury.

“I’m not scared of Tyson Fury. I’ll fight Tyson Fury any day, any time, anywhere. I’m ready. I’ve been ready, trying to fight him.”

Fury is yet to comment on reports linking him with Whyte, who believes his British rival does not want to increase public demand for the bout.

Asked why Fury had not spoken, Whyte said: “Because it’s not a fight he wants. Tyson Fury is clever. He doesn’t want to put a lot of light on the fight, because he knows he might get pushed into taking the fight.

“What he’s doing, he’s just biding his time, letting these idiots jump on the bandwagon and put their two pence in, that’s all.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn is still seeking a resolution from the WBC, urging the governing body to make Whyte-Rivas into a final eliminator, with the WBC ‘interim’ title at stake.

“We’re all trying to come up with a resolution that’s fair and we haven’t yet, so we’re still pushing,” Hearn told Sky Sports.

“We want the Rivas fight to be for something very significant for the WBC and that’s probably an interim world title fight and to become the mandatory to the winner of Deontay Wilder against Dominic Breazeale.”

Watch Dillian Whyte vs Oscar Rivas and David Allen vs David Price live on Sky Sports Box Office at The O2 on July 20.

Article courtesy of Richard Damerell & Sky Sports