Dillian Whyte has been told he would be a "handful" in a potential heavyweight showdown with Deontay Wilder or Oleksandr Usyk.
'The Body Snatcher' returns to action for the first time since losing to Tyson Fury in April when he takes on Jermaine Franklin at the OVO Wembley Arena on Saturday night. Whyte will be looking to put his name back in the title mix after coming up short in his long-awaited world title challenge against Fury.
It is expected a win for Whyte will see him take on British rival Anthony Joshua in a rematch next year. But former world champion David Haye believes the Briton would hold his own against the 'Bronze Bomber' if he is able to force a clash to move up the WBC rankings.
"I'd like to see him and Wilder that would be a great fight," Haye told Mirror Fighting when asked about Whyte would fare against other leading contenders in the division. "Him fighting against Usyk would also be a good fight, I just think he has a chance against anybody with the way he fights on his day. I'm not sure who his performance against Tyson Fury was last time out.
"That type of stand off performance against Wilder would probably have gone the same way if they were to fight. But against Usyk I don't know, in a boxing match with a southpaw coming up against a southpaw he could have a chance. If he is fired up and motivated and firing on all cylinders, he is a handful for anybody so they need to be prepared as he is a solid lump."
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Whyte has frequently taunted Wilder throughout his heavyweight career and has regularly eyed a shot at the 'Bronze Bomber' but a fight is yet to materialise. The British star now sits a couple of places below Wilder in the WBC rankings after his defeat against Fury, but could put himself back in the mix to face him if he beats Joshua next year.
Wilder has previously labelled Whyte as "scum" which saw promoter Eddie Hearn suggest it is a fight he would like to see come to fruition in the future. And in his latest rant about Wilder, Whyte accused his rival of being an actor and believes he will never look to secure a showdown with him.
