Dillian Whyte facing fight to save career after reports of failed drugs test

London, United Kingdom | AFP | British heavyweight Dillian Whyte is facing a long ban after reportedly testing positive for a banned substance, prompting a furious reaction from world champion Deontay Wilder.

The 31-year-old, who has previously served a doping ban, is understood to have returned the positive test three days before his fight against Colombian Oscar Rivas at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, which he won on points.

Whyte, who is now the mandatory challenger to WBC world heavyweight champion Wilder, can ask for a “B sample” to be tested.

In a tweet on Wednesday, promoter Eddie Hearn wrote: “Further to reports I can confirm that both Dillian Whyte and Oscar Rivas were subject to extensive VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) and UKAD (UK Anti-Doping) testing for their bout. Both fighters were cleared to fight by both bodies and the BBBofC (British Boxing Board of Control).”

UKAD has declined to comment on what happens next with Whyte but, as the B sample almost always confirms the A sample, it is highly likely this case will now be passed to the independent National Anti-Doping Panel.

US fighter Wilder remorselessly attacked Whyte in an Instagram post.

“This fighter has been caught before using PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs) so this is his second attempt,” he said.

“We just had a fighter… die in the ring (Maxim Dadashev) because of taking too many blow(s) to the head and you have idiots like @dillianwhyte want to CHEAT just to come up in his career because he’s not good enough to do it alone,” Wilder added.

Whyte tested positive for a banned stimulant after his victory over Hungary’s Sandor Balogh in October 2012 and was handed a two-year ban.

His defence at the time was that he had made a mistake by taking a popular and readily available training supplement without checking its ingredients but his appeal against the sanction was rejected.

Since his comeback, Whyte has fought 18 times, losing only once to British rival Anthony Joshua, in 2015.

A BBBofC statement read: “United Kingdom Anti-Doping undertakes all anti-doping procedures on behalf of the British Boxing Board of Control and any subsequent findings, decisions, suspensions and sanctions are upheld by the British Boxing Board of Control in line with United Kingdom Anti-Doping.