Whyte wants Usyk to give Wardley chance at title shot

Dillian Whyte is firmly backing Fabio Wardley to step into the ring with Oleksandr Usyk and take on the heavyweight crown. 

Whyte, who also serves as Wardley’s manager, points to the Ipswich-based fighter’s recent run and the formal status he now holds as reasons the champion should give him the opportunity. 

Wardley’s rise reached a key milestone when he defeated Joseph Parker and claimed the WBO interim heavyweight title, putting him in line for Usyk’s undisputed titles. 

Whyte emphasised that Usyk has built a legacy on accepting major fights; “Usyk doesn’t seem to run away from any challenge. He’s faced all the best fighters,” Whyte told Sky Sports. From his viewpoint, the groundwork Wardley has laid makes him not just eligible but inevitable.

Whyte pointed out Wardley’s unbeaten record and the way he’s taken on credible opposition at this stage. He mentioned that on top of the interim title win, Wardley’s style and performance have changed critics’ views of him. 

He said: “I think people should have given Wardley the respect he deserves a while ago. I saw something in him that he himself is just seeing now and the world is seeing now.

“I think Fabio’s going to be a world champion and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being an undisputed world champion.”

On the other side, Usyk has kept his options open. The champion has achieved undisputed status at heavyweight and appears to be managing his next steps carefully. 

A March 2026 showdown is being floated by promoter Frank Warren, who has suggested either London or Riyadh as venues for a fight between Usyk and Wardley. 

The timing works for Wardley, who is 30, well into his prime by heavyweight standards. Whyte believes that if Usyk were to remain in the ring for one more defence, pairing him with Wardley makes sense: for sport, for the fans, and for the narrative of boxing’s next phase.

Usyk, at 38, carries the four major belts yet faces a division hungry for fresh names and new rivalries. Whyte thinks Wardley offers that fresh opportunity that will benefit the division.