Dillian Whyte (31-3, 21 KO’s) and Joe Joyce (16-3, 15 KO’s) are gearing up for a momentous clash on April 5 that might end up to be a career-defining fight for winner and loser alike. The two were announced as the headliners of Queensberry Promotions’ upcoming show in a press conference held earlier today. The card, which appears fully studded with British heavyweight contenders, will be held at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester, based in the United Kingdom.
The heavyweight (200+ lbs) bout between the two British fighters provides an interesting contest between two contenders who, once upon time, were considered to be genuine world title challengers. Their fight has been confirmed for 12 rounds.
Whyte, 36, has challenged for a world title on at least one occasion when he faced and was stopped by Tyson Fury (34-2-1, 24 KO’s) in 2022. Whyte has also held the WBC interim heavyweight title on at least two occasions and has faced the likes of Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25 KO’s) in the past while further enjoying the status of a top 10 contender for roughly a decade.
Joyce, 39, never fought for a world title but did attain the WBO interim heavyweight title in 2022 after defeating New Zealand contender Joseph Parker (35-3, 23 KO’s). Despite notching several good victories on his record, including a win against current IBF champion Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KO’s), Joyce’s fall from grace came abruptly when he lost to Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KO’s) in two back-to-back contests in 2023 before a more recent contest against an aged Derek Chisora (36-13, 23 KO’s) last year virtually eliminated his chances to become a world champion.
Despite the trials of both fighters over the past couple of years, a victory could potentially catapult the winner back into consideration for a world title fight. Neither Whyte or Joyce are currently ranked in the top 10 of any of the main four sanctioning bodies, which is bound to change depending on who comes out on top.
Furthermore, with both Parker and Dubois signed with Queensberry Promotions and preparing for their world title contest on February 22nd, this could set up an exciting clash between the winners of both fights.
Complementing the card will be the long-awaited fight between Lawrence Okolie (21-1, 16 KO’s) and Richard Riakporhe (17-1, 13 KO’s), two former cruiserweight (200 lbs) rivals who will now be looking to make a name in the heavyweight division with their fight.
David Adeleye, another British heavyweight contender, will also be participating on the card against an unknown quantity in fellow Brit Jeamie Tshikeva (8-1, 5 KO’s). Adeleye had previously faced rising contender Solomon Dacres (9-1, 3 KO’s) who he surprisingly dispatched by technical knockout (TKO) in just the first round.
