Dillian Whyte plans to return to the ring later this year and will not sit on his mandatory WBC world title shot, revealed promoter Eddie Hearn.
Book repeats
Lomachenko vs Campbell on Box Office
The Brixton powerhouse impressed at The O2 on Saturday night, recovering from a knockdown to overcome Oscar Rivas and keep his world heavyweight championship hopes alive.
Now the interim beltholder, Whyte is mandatory challenger to WBC king Deontay Wilder and must get his long-awaited world title shot before May 2020. Wilder is expected to face Luis Ortiz and Tyson Fury first.
"He's mandatory, Dillian Whyte's worked so hard from the get-go and people have been trying to deny him," Hearn told Sky Sports Box Office afterwards.
"For over 600 days he's been number one with the WBC and now he is officially the mandatory challenger. He deserves this, he has beaten another world-class fighter in Oscar Rivas, he's improving all the time.
"He won't sit on the WBC shot, there's always ups-and-downs and drama with Whyte, one thing is confirmed tonight, he is WBC Interim world champion. But more importantly than the belt, he's now mandatory challenger, that shot will come, it's just a case of when.
"Before the end of May 2020, Dillian must fight for the full WBC world title."
Whyte echoed his promoter's plans as he plots a ring return for later this year.
"It's boxing, a lot of things get said and not a lot happens," he told Sky Sports Box Office in his post-fight interview.
"Being mandatory could mean I wait another 600 days.
"We're looking to fight again in November or December, we'll sit down and have a rest."
Watch Dillian Whyte vs Oscar Rivas repeats on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, from 9am and 4pm. Book it via your Sky remote or book it online here. Even if you aren't a Sky TV subscriber you can book and watch it here.