Dillian Whyte will fight Joe Joyce, a previous holder of the WBO interim title and an Olympic silver medallist, in a heavyweight contest on April 5.
Whyte, the former world title challenger who has boxed both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, will take on Joyce at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.
Joyce is coming back from a shock loss to Derek Chisora last July and will tune up for the Whyte fight against Patrick Korte in March.
Another clash of rival Londoners will be the chief supporting contest on the bill, will Lawrence Okolie fighting Richard Riakporhe.
Okolie lost his WBO cruiserweight world title to Chris Billam-Smith but went on to win the WBC’s bridgerweight belt.
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Lawrence Okolie claimed the WBC bridgerweight world title in emphatic style as he knocked Lucasz Rozanski down three times before the fight was waved off in the first round
He has now moved up to heavyweight and will fight Riakporhe in that weight class. Riakporhe is a former world-title challenger, who fought Billam-Smith at Selhurst Park in London, and has a simmering rivalry with Okolie.
English heavyweight champion David Adeleye will fight another London heavyweight, Jeamie TKV.
Adeleye rebuilt from his loss to Fabio Wardley with an impressive first-round demolition of Solomon Dacres.
TKV picked up his latest victory earlier this month when he forced Michael Webster out after nine rounds of their Wembley Arena contest.
Paris Olympian Delicious Orie will turn professional on the same card.
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Chris Billam-Smith defended his WBO cruiserweight world title against Riakporhe with a unanimous-decision win at Selhurst Park
Whyte pursuing Joshua fight
Whyte’s rematch with Joshua was called off in August 2023 after the Brixton man returned adverse analytical findings in a drug test.
Cleared to resume his career, Whyte beat Christian Hammer and Ebenezer Tetteh last year.
He still wants that fight with Joshua. “Sounds perfect for me. They don’t need to ask me twice,” Whyte previously told Sky Sports.
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Back in 2015 Anthony Joshua knocked out Whyte with a huge uppercut after a dramatic fight that also saw a brawl between both teams at the end of round one
“They talk about me as an option, but they haven’t said anything to me, so it’s just negotiation tactics from them. But I’m up for the fight and I’m ready to fight again.
“If he wants to fight, then all they’ve got to do is call me. I’m always up for fighting AJ. No problem for me. However, personally, I think he’s finished.
“I think he made a huge mistake not taking the immediate rematch with Dubois. It was a world title fight, a great payday and the perfect opportunity to avenge his knockout loss. He will forever have to suffer the memes of being face-planted at Wembley by Dubois.”
Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker and the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol rematch will be live on Saturday February 22 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book now!
