Joshua should fight Paul if it pays - Whyte

12th Aug 2025 | Source: BBC

Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champion Anthony Joshua has won 28 pro fights and lost four

British heavyweight Dillian Whyte says Anthony Joshua should fight Jake Paul for a lucrative purse, but insists he still has unfinished business with Joshua himself.

Whyte, 37, will be a huge underdog against the highly rated Moses Itauma in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Meanwhile, talks about an unlikely match-up between two-time heavyweight world champion Joshua and YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul have intensified in recent weeks

"It's a business, man. If [Joshua v Paul] makes sense and does numbers, why not?" Whyte told BBC Sport

"[Joshua] has won the championship twice, had a lot of fights and done a lot so I don't know.

"I'm sure he'll make more money than he did in some of his title fights so sometimes if you can make some money then make some money."

Whyte lost to Joshua in 2015 for the British title in a memorable grudge match.

A 2023 rematch was scrapped after Whyte failed a drug test. He protested his innocence, claimed he was cleared of any wrongdoing and returned to action in March 2024.

"I would love to have a chance to right my wrong," Whyte said.

'The underdog is a very dangerous dog'

Undefeated heavyweight Moses Itauma (left) is ranked number one with the WBO

Whyte, who has won 31 of 34 professional fights, lost in a world-title shot against Tyson Fury in 2022 and has struggled for momentum in recent years.

'The Body Snatcher' stopped Ebenezer Tetteh in December, though looked far from his best.

But the Briton still has his sights set on heavyweight glory. He says undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk is the "best of the era" but feels he is ready for another run at a world title.

"I don't think I did myself justice last time. I went into the fight, we trained hard but a few things weren't right. Mentally, it wasn't right," he added.

It was "partly" the reason he chose to take on powerful southpaw Itauma. The 20-year-old Chatham heavyweight is considered one of boxing's top prospects, and has stopped 10 of his 12 opponents since turning professional.

"Nobody wants to fight [Itauma]. I love fighting, I love competing, I love a test. I like doing what people say I can't do, that it's impossible," Whyte added.

"The underdog is a very dangerous dog."