Dillian Whyte Wants the Joseph Parker Fight, Albeit With A Warmup

It has been a considerable amount of time since Dillian Whyte (31-4, 21 KOs) made an appearance inside the ring. But it sure doesn’t mean his heart has left the ring; in fact, according to him, it now yearns for a showdown against heavyweight superstar Joseph Parker (36-4, 24 KOs).

Talking to the Ring Magazine, Whyte revealed that he has a lot more grit in him, which he wishes to showcase once again inside the ring.

“I feel like I’ve got a little bit more left to give, so let’s see what we can do to finish on a high. I’m training now, and I want to be back in May or June. Now it’s just a case of training and seeing what comes up for that sort of date,” he said.

Whyte has been pretty inactive and a bit stuck since his last fight, a first-round knockout loss to Moses Itauma in August 2025. It was a brutal, one-sided defeat that effectively stalled his momentum at a time when he was already dealing with long gaps between fights. Add to this inactivity his advancing age, which he himself admitted has hurt his career rhythm; there is no denying that he needs a major win, or at least an impressive performance, to ensure that he remains a memorable name in the sport.

And in this rebuilding phase, he is looking to prove himself with a fight against Parker, but with a caveat.

“There are a lot of good fights, and Joseph Parker is one of them. I’d love to get it on with Joseph Parker. I think that’s a really good fight. He needs to come back, he needs to get cleared or whatever, I don’t know the situation,” he said. “So, in the meantime, I need to stay busy and have a comeback fight as well, so let’s see.”

“I’m Not Going To Make Excuses”

Talking about his last fight against Itauma, he admits it did not go the way he wanted. However, that doesn’t mean he’s going to sit around making excuses.

“It is what it is. Sometimes it doesn’t go well, but I’m not going to make excuses about it. I got caught early; that’s what happens in boxing. I’m sure people came to their own conclusion on it, that I wasn’t right on the night, but that’s how it went,” he said. “I gave my word, so I’m going to show up and fight. That’s it, now we move on.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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