Dillian Whyte issues challenge to Anthony Joshua after aiming dig at old rival

Dillian Whyte is desperate to ‘redeem himself’ against Anthony Joshua after demanding a rematch with his heavyweight rival.

Before either man had fought on the world title scene, Joshua and Whyte shared a blistering and bad-tempered rivalry in 2015, culminating in their December showdown at the O2 Arena.

Joshua stopped the Brixton heavyweight in the seventh round to win the British title with Whyte suffering the first defeat of his career. The Olympian went onto to challenge for his first world title four months later as he set about conquering the heavyweight division.

They have not crossed paths since with promoter Eddie Hearn teasing the possibility of a rematch last year.

Whyte was in attendance for Joshua’s showdown with Jermaine Franklin at the O2 on Saturday night, having beaten the American in the same venue six months ago.

And the Londoner backed his old rival to get the win that he hopes will set up their reunion.

‘I hope he wins tonight because I want to fight him next,’ Whyte told DAZN.

‘Me against the Franklin, the winner should have been fighting AJ, it was supposed to be the winner fights AJ next and he is fighting the loser. So I hopes he wins tonight.

‘I want the chance to redeem myself because he keeps playing this video of him knocking me out years and years ago and I want revenge.’

With neither Whyte or Joshua currently in line for a world title shot, a rematch could make perfect sense for the summer with Hearn believing it can be a huge stadium showdown.

‘For sure, it is a fight we all want,’ Hearn told Metro.co.uk last year.

‘It is a huge stadium fight next summer. The Dillian Whyte fight is definitely easier to make than the Wilder fight. But they are, as always, going to be wanted to be paid as much money as possible.

‘But I think it is quite easy for me to make that fight. AJ wants that fight, Dillian wants that fight and that’s a fight we will definitely see next summer.’

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