Dillian Whyte has revealed that he was offered rematches with Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker but embraced the ‘risk’ of a Moses Itauma fight.
The former WBC interim champion has agreed to face red-hot heavyweight prospect Itauma in Saudi Arabia on August 16.
But Whyte has admitted that he also discussed potential fights against long-term British rival Joshua and New Zealander Parker.
“You know what, I got offered three names, AJ, Parker and Moses Itauma,” Whyte exclusively told Sky Sports.
“These guys were messing about, Parker was being greedy, they didn’t want to be realistic on the split. AJ wasn’t ready, obviously they’re trying to keep their options open, I’m options for no one.
“I think Moses Itauma, no one wants to fight him. My whole career has been, I’ve always taken the fights that no one wanted to take and nothing’s changed now. It’s an opportunity, it’s a great opportunity. Win this fight, I’m right back like I never left.
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Watch Whyte’s knockout wins but they get more brutal
“Everyone’s scared of him, all these other supposed hard man heavyweights who pride themselves on being hard fighting anyone, they’re running scared from fighting this guy.
“We’re in the business to fight, we’re in the business to entertain, we’re in the business to give the fans a good fight.”
Joshua, who has not fought since a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois last September, has required surgery on a troublesome elbow.
Parker, whose promoters offered no comment in response to Whyte’s claims when contacted by Sky Sports News, is yet to announce his next fight after a stoppage win over Martin Bakole in February.
“I would have loved to fight AJ again because he’s the only one in that list that beat me before,” said Whyte.
“I’ve beaten him once [in the amateur ranks], he’s beaten me once, I’d love to fight him again. But AJ, his injuries and his surgery and stuff, they didn’t know if he was going to be ready.
“He wasn’t going to be ready, so I was like: ‘Okay, I’m not going to wait around.’
Whyte said he would have loved to fight Anthony Joshua, but the latter was ‘not ready’ due to injury
“The Joseph Parker fight, it’s Parker being greedy. When I fought him years ago, he was kind of on a losing streak.
“I gave him a certain split, I was fair and I was just. And then he’s being greedy.
“And I was like: ‘Do you want to fight someone who’s actually beaten you or are you just in it for the money?’ And clearly, he’s just in it for the money.
‘So I said: ‘Okay, all right, no worries.
“Then with Moses, I was like: ‘Hell yeah, I’ll definitely take the fight.’
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Speaking on the Toe2Toe podcast, promoter Frank Warren talked up a potential Itauma vs Whyte clash
Asked if he could still face Joshua again in the future, Whyte said: “I don’t know and I don’t really care to be honest. I’m not 27, I haven’t got time to be sitting around waiting for these guys.
“I’ve always known to fight the best fighters in my era, and everyone’s raving about Moses Itauma, saying he’s the best fighter since Mike Tyson.
“If I can go up against him and beat him then what does that say about me? I’ve always been a risk taker, man.
“It’s just another one of those things that makes sense to me. People might think I’m crazy or I’m stupid, like some of these guys have been saying, but I have a different mindset, a different approach.
“I was a born sufferer and I’ve been a lifetime sufferer. So for me, it’s nothing to take risks. I’d rather take a risk and fail than just sit there thinking about it.”
