Eddie Hearn believes that Dillian Whyte will face an American fighter with an unbeaten record in his next fight.
Whyte secured his old WBC interim belt last month against Russian Alexander Povetkin, who had knocked him out in their August bout at Matchroom’s Fight Camp series. With Whyte and Hearn keen to fight stateside in his next event, it narrows down the options for the 32-year-old Briton. Whyte has suggested that he might fight Deontay Wilder, with the former WBC champion needing to rebuild his credibility and confidence as he continues to struggle with his defeat to Tyson Fury at the start of last year. Wilder continues to chase a rematch with Fury, but it appears any resolution in his favour is likely to be rewarded with a financial payout rather than an enforced rematch.
“I want to take Dillian Whyte to America for his next fight this summer," Hearn told IFL TV. “Give him some profile over there. Go over, MSG, wherever it is, go and make a name over there and then I’d love to make the Wilder fight later in the year.”
With Wilder in mind as a second fight, presumably while the Fury-"AJ" two-parter plays out, Hearn suggested some lesser-known opponents for Whyte's first US event.
"There's a good fight coming up with Jermaine Franklin and Stephan Shaw," Hearn suggested. "The winner of that's a good fight. Trevor Bryan is another option for the WBA' regular'. There's plenty of options. I'd like it to be an American."