[2] Following his eleventh-round knockout victory over Derek Chisora, Whyte called out unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

Joshua, who was unusually booed by many of those present at The O2 Arena, said: “If Deontay Wilder is serious and he is going to fight Tyson Fury and doesn’t want to become undisputed champion, Dillian, you will get a title shot."

On 12 January 2019, Whyte revealed that he had turned down a "severe lowball" offer from Joshua to fight him in a rematch.

[3] NABF, IBF International, and WBO-NABO champion Rivas, had enhanced his reputation as a danger man following his brutal knockout of the former world title challenger Bryant Jennings in January.

[5] In the same month, upon hearing the news of the adverse findings, the WBC provisionally suspended Whyte's interim champion status and removed him from their rankings pending an investigation.