‘He might get a box’ – Dillian Whyte on Joshua comments

Dillian Whyte may have complete focus on his showdown with Alexander Povetkin later this month – but that doesn’t mean he’s not up for a bit of afters with bitter rival Anthony Joshua as well.

AJ is expected to be ringside when ‘The Body Snatcher’ puts his WBC mandatory contender status on the line against dangerous Russian Povetkin (35-2-1) on Saturday August 22 (live on Sky Sports Box Office pay-per-view).

And the reigning IBF, WBA and WBO world champion recently reignited a bitter rivalry with the man he beat in a cracking scrap back in 2016 by saying:  “I might get in there and give him a punch as well. You’re getting me psyched up now.”

That didn’t play well with Whyte (27-1), who as well as being frustrated by waiting more than 1000 days already for his world-title shot, is old school when it comes to trash talk via the media.

He responded to AJ’s comment by telling Sky Sports Toe 2 Toe podcast: “He might get a box, if he does that. If he does that, he might get a box, there and then, one box.

“He thinks it’s a game, but I don’t play games with these guys. They think it’s a game, scream and shout and get in each other’s faces, but if he does, he will get a box.”

While Whyte’s world title shot – assuming he beats Povetkin – will come against the winner of Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder 3 – Dillian would also clearly like the opportunity to settle the score with Joshua one day.

“He says one thing one day and the next day he says something else. There’s no consistency with AJ. There’s no consistency with him. He says this, then he says that. He just talks a lot of c**p. I’m sick and tired of all these guys that’s talking, talking, talking all the time.

“Beat Povetkin then if Joshua wants to fight, we’ll fight. If Fury wants to fight, we can fight. There’s only three or four big fights out there for me now after this one and I just want to have them.

“The biggest two is Joshua and Fury. If I beat them then I’ve had an amazing career, and that’s what I want to do.”