Why Was Whyte Still Allowed to Fight?

Add Queensbury Promotions’ Frank Warren to the list of people coming out to slam Dillian Whyte and the events surrounding his failed drug test.

In his latest column, Warren blasted Whyte and his promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, and accused them of putting Rivas’ safety at risk. He also claims this to be the latest example of Hearn conducting “dubious practice” and that Hearn only supports what fits his agenda. Warren used an example of Hearn supporting the need for VADA after Billy Joe Saunders failed a drug test and was forced to vacate the WBO Middleweight Title (Saunders has claimed his failed test was due to a nasal spray, and U.K. Anti-Doping and the British Board of Boxing Control did not fault Saunders).

“I think it is outrageous that a fighter is allowed to step into the ring to take on someone with a doping cloud hanging over their head and be totally unaware of what is going on,” Warren said.

Whyte reportedly tested positive for a banned substance in the days leading up to his interim WBC Heavyweight Title fight with Oscar Rivas. Because the failed test was conducted by UKAD and not VADA, the WBC and Rivas and his team were reportedly not informed because there was no stipulation requiring such.

The BBBC was informed of the matter, and reports state Whyte had a hearing on the matter the day of the fight. Rivas and his team claim to also have not been informed of that.

Warren added that this kind of situation doesn’t help boxing’s image in the wake of the loss of two young fighters due to injuries sustained in the ring.

“Two young men died this week so now, more than ever, there is the need for complete transparency,” Warren said. “We need to know the results of the B sample as soon as possible for the integrity of sport. Throughout all this, nobody is saying there has not been a positive test here. That being the case what was he doing in the ring? The man who was risking his life in opposition surely had the right to know all this and a duty of care has not been upheld. This is the essence of what boxing is about, the safety of boxers.”

Read Warren’s column in full here.