Dillian Whyte considering a fight in the USA - but Andy Ruiz Jr will not be his next opponent. Michigan's Jermaine Franklin (unbeaten with 13 knockouts in 20 wins) is in pole position to fight Whyte but other options are on the table
Tuesday 20 July 2021 06:11, UK
Dillian Whyte is not in negotiations to fight Andy Ruiz Jr so his likeliest next opponent is Jermaine Franklin, Sky Sports understands.
Whyte could opt to fight in the US next as he continues his hunt for a maiden world title fight.
The WBC interim champion had called for a short-notice fight with Deontay Wilder to decide the full titleholder in Tyson Fury's absence but was again made to wait.
Fury defends the WBC heavyweight championship against Wilder on October 9 so Whyte plans to remain busy.
"No, we are not holding talks regarding a potential fight with Dillian Whyte," David A. Garcia, Ruiz Jr's attorney, told Sky Sports.
"Although I believe that Andy would welcome the opportunity to fight Mr. Whyte one day."
Whyte and Ruiz Jr were briefly linked with a fight last year too. But Mexico's first world heavyweight champion lashed out on social media: "You didn't want any smoke so I moved on to the next opponent."
Whyte hit back: "Typical coward move from fake Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr, a blob rolling away from a big payday.
"You're all stomach and no heart. I am more Mexican than you."
Whyte has since told Sky Sports about the man who upset Anthony Joshua then lost a rematch six months later: "If he wasn't motivated when he had the whole world at his feet... He had 80 per cent of the major titles, and he wasn't motivated."
Jermaine Franklin, the unbeaten American contender, remains Whyte's likeliest next rival.
The Michigan fighter has won all 20 of his outings and, earlier this year, told Sky Sports about Whyte: "It's the punches that he leaves himself open for, that's why he has the two defeats by knockout.
"Alexander Povetkin caught him with an uppercut. We know that's a real hard punch to be able to take from a puncher.
"Certain times he gets caught with certain punches.
"I don't want to say he has a glass chin, because he took some shots, but if you can catch him at the right time, at the right moments though, you will have a great effect on him."
'Prince' Charles Martin, the former IBF champion who lost to Anthony Joshua, has also been involved in a war of words with Whyte.
