Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte were due to renew their heavyweight boxing rivalry on August 12, 2023 at a packed O2 Arena in London.
However, just a week before the scheduled bout, promoters Matchroom Boxing confirmed that the fight had been cancelled. According to a statement, Whyte had failed a drugs test carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Assocation (VADA). Joshua will instead fight Robert Helenius, the 39-year-old "Nordic Nightmare" beaten inside three minutes by Deontay Wilder last October.
The first fight between these two had been a brilliant spectacle back in 2015, Joshua's explosive victory sparking a run of wins that included taking belts off Charles Martin, Wladimir Klitschko and Joseph Parker. After his defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, and Whyte's loss to Tyson Fury in the WBC title bout last April, it was hoped this long-awaited rematch could breathe some life into a heavyweight division beset by a failure to agree major fights between the biggest names.
The fact it was cancelled just seven days out was a huge disappointment to fans in the UK and around the world.
Why was Antony Joshua vs. Dillian Whyte 2 cancelled?
The scheduled showdown between Joshua and Whyte on August 12, 2023 was cancelled just a week out from fight night.
On August 5, Matchroom Boxing announced that Whyte had failed a drugs test. In a statement published via social media, the promoters said: "Today, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed Matchroom, the Association of Boxing Commissions and the British Boxing Board of Control that Dillian Whyte had returned adverse analytical findings as part of a random anti-doping protocol.
"In light of this news, the fight will be cancelled, and a full investigation will be conducted. Further information on the event will follow."
Whyte later issued a statement via his Instagram account in which he said he was "shocked and devastated" by the VADA findings.
"I only learned of it this morning and am still reacting to it," he said. "I have also just seen that the fight is being cancelled without having any chance to demonstrate my innocence before the decision was taken.
"I can confirm without a shadow of doubt that I have not taken the reported substance, in this camp or at any point in my life. I am completely innocent and ask to be given the time to go through the process of proving this without anybody jumping to conclusions or a trial by media.
"I insisted on 24/7 VADA testing for this fight, as I have done voluntarily and at my own expense for all of my fights for many, many years. This is not the first time that I have been reported as having an adverse finding for a substance which I have not taken, and as I did last time I will again prove that I am completely innocent.
"In the meantime all I can do is express my extreme disappointment to boxing fans, who will miss out on what was sure to be a great event."
Has Dillian Whyte failed a drugs test before?
In July 2019, Whyte beat Oscar Rivas by unanimous decision, but his world-title aims were thrown into jeopardy after the fight.
A sample collected by the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) from Whyte before the fight returned an "adverse finding". He was cleared to fight by UKAD and the British Boxing Board of Control, although when the information came to light the WBC provisionally suspended Whyte's mandatory status.
"I am so disappointed with the rubbish that has been said about me over the last few days," he wrote on social media. "I have lawyers dealing with it and I have been told that I can't talk about it for good legal reasons. I was cleared to fight and I won that fight fair and square. Thanks for the support."
This was understandably not the opinion of the Rivas camp, who did not know about the issues with Whyte's test. Had he been made aware, Rivas's promoter Yvon Michel said his man would have been withdrawn from the fight.
Whyte also served a two-year ban from the sport from 2012 to 2014 for using a supplement that contained the banned stimulant Methylhexaneamine. During an appeals process, it was accepted that Whyte did not knowingly take the banned substance but his suspension was nevertheless upheld.
That meant the prospect of a longer ban were another offence proven. VADA announced Whyte passed pre- and post-fight tests for the Rivas bout and, in December 2019, UKAD cleared him of any anti-doping violations.
UKAD's investigation determined that a contaminated supplement containing trace amounts of two metabolites of steroids caused Whyte to test positive prior to facing Rivas. In its findings, UKAD said: "There is nothing in Mr Whyte's longitudinal urinary profile to suggest that he has used steroids."
Anthony Joshua vs. Dillian Whyte 2 fight card
Joshua vs. Whyte was due to headline a fight card that included home favourites Derek Chisora and Campbell Hatton. Joshua will now fight Robert Helenius instead.
- Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius; Heavyweights
- Filip Hrgovic vs. Demsey McKean; Heavyweights
- Derek Chisora vs. Gerald Washington; Heavyweights
- Johnny Fisher vs. Harry Armstrong; Heavyweights
- Campbell Hatton vs. Tom Ansell; Heavyweights
- Maisey Rose Courtney vs. Gemma Ruegg; Super Flyweights
- George Liddard vs. Radek Rousal; Middleweights
Anthony Joshua record and bio
- Nationality: British
- Born: October 15, 1989
- Height: 6-6
- Reach: 82 inches
- Total fights: 28
- Record: 25-3 with 22 wins via knockout
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Dillian Whyte record and bio
- Nationality: British
- Born: April 11, 1988
- Height: 6-4
- Reach: 78 inches
- Total fights: 32
- Record: 29-3 with 19 wins via knockout