WBC rescinds Whyte #1 ranking after positive PED test

The World Boxing Council (WBC) took action on Tuesday afternoon against disgraced British heavyweight Contender Dillian Whyte, whom they had dreamed as their number one contender after his win over Oscar Rivas 10 days ago, only to learn that he had flunked a pre-fight PED test.

The WBC released a statement on Whyte’s status and the Athletic’s insider Mike Coppinger posted it on social media

The WBC has released a statement in the aftermath of Dillian Whyte-Oscar Rivas pic.twitter.com/ouhXV9U6rL

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) July 30, 2019

The statement read, 

An a Sample UKAD collected from Mr. Dillian Whyte in relation with his bout against Oscar Rivas yielded an adverse finding.

“In light of that adverse finding, and pending the outcome of the WBC’s own investigation and adjudicatory process, the WBC is provisionally suspending the WBC’s recognition of Dillian Whyte as WBC Interim World Heavyweight Champion and Mandatory Challenger of the division.

“The WBC has notified Mr. Whyte and his team of the WBC’s suspension and that it will afford Mr. Whyte the opportunity to present its position to the WBC at an investigative hearing which will take place at a place and time to be announced in the near future.”

First, Whyte was victorious by 12-round decision over Rivas in the main event of the Matchroom Boxing pay-per-view at the O2 Arena in London on July 20th. And, the WBC had deemed that Whyte was now in line to be the mandatory challenge in the future for it’s champion, American heavyweight Deontay Wilder.

Now, that didn’t necessarily assure Whyte of anything in the short-term, as Wilder is already scheduled to fight Luis Ortiz in a rematch later this fall. And, “The Bronze Bomber” just fought the WBC mandatory challenger Dominic Brazeale in May destroying him with one punch in the opening round in Brooklyn, New York.

That means by its own rules, that Wilder doesn’t have to face a WBC mandatory opponent until, at least May of next year.

And, the WBC has made clear that unless Whyte comes to them and clears his name he won’t even be that mandatory challenger, if and when, he gets clearance to fight, again.

Everyone is currently awaiting the results of Whyte’s second or “B” urine sample, which will almost assuredly reinforce the PEDs present in his “A” sample pre-fight and may even reveal more drugs.

That brings in the larger problem that Whyte may not be able to be licensed in England or anywhere for at least six months and maybe more, due to the drug suspension. And, the WBC rankings and their farcical “interim title” holders, like what they dubbed Whyte after the July 20th win only confuse things.

Still, they wanted to distance from Whyte and did so, Tuesday.