Heavyweight Dillian Whyte Can Make Up for Lost Time on His Return to the Ring

After a spell out of action, Dillian Whyte is ready to get back in the ring again.

The heavyweight, born in Jamaica but now based in Brixton in London, England, has been inactive since losing to Anthony Joshua in December 2015.

As well as the disappointment of the result, Whyte (16-1, 13 KOs) also had to cope with the pain of a shoulder injury. He has since had surgery to correct the problem, but the layoff has given him a long time to mull over that first defeat as a pro.

Joshua's victory not only secured the vacant British title, it also paved the way for him to challenge for the IBF belt early in 2016.

While Whyte has been patiently working his way back to full fitness with rehab sessions in a gym, his former foe has gone on to become a world champion in the ring.

Yet, at one stage in their contest last year, it seemed things would work out differently, as the underdog threatened to pull off an upset.

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Despite being second best from the opening bell, Whyte—who had triumphed when the pair met as amateurs—found two left hands in Round 2 that, for the first time in the paid ranks, had Joshua in trouble.

None of Joshua's previous 14 opponents had managed to land anything of note against him, yet suddenly he was in the ring with a man willing to stand and fight.

Whyte, though, had not only hurt his opponent but also himself, as he later revealed to Sky Sports News HQ (h/t Stephen Turner of SkySports.com): "I had him [Joshua] out on his feet, he was stumbling around. I hit him and he stiffened up, but at the same time I hit him my shoulder went so I couldn't really finish him off."

The opportunity to cause an upset disappeared quickly. Joshua survived the scare, recovered his senses and went on to win by TKO in Round 7.

For Whyte, there has to be a lingering frustration of wondering what might have been. Only he knows how badly the shoulder affected him that night.

Now, with his injury fully healed, Whyte needs to start winning again.

He will make his comeback on June 25. It is scheduled to be a six-round contest on the undercard to Joshua's defence of the IBF title against American Dominic Breazeale at the O2 Arena in the English capital.

Cyril Leonet was due to be Whyte's opponent, but he has since pulled out. Per BoxRec, it is not yet known who will be in the opposite corner.

The identity of his foe doesn't really matter, though. Whyte just needs to blow away the cobwebs by blowing away a journeyman, then he can focus on bigger fights. 

He told Isaac Robinson of SkySports.com:

"

I want an eight-rounder warm-up, 10-rounder for an international title, a 12-rounder for the British title and then maybe one defence of the British title this year. Then a big fight at the end of the year with someone like Joseph Parker, Dereck Chisora, David Price or even David Haye.

I want to be in the big fights. One of those kind of opponents at the end of year, close the year off, take some time off with my family and my missus. Next year, back on it and I want to whup Joshua's arse next year.

"

That's all well and good, but Whyte still has much to prove.

Sure, he played his part in an absorbing battle with Joshua, yet the other 16 names on his CV are not anywhere as notable as the 2012 Olympic gold medallist.

The 28-year-old has to prove himself at domestic level yet—and there are opponents out there to help him do just that.

There's the experienced Dereck Chisora, who gatecrashed a press conference in May that was held to announce Whyte signing a deal with promoters Matchroom.

There's the raw potential of David Allen, whom Whyte had looked set to meet on a card in Leeds, England, on July 30 for the vacant British title after a spat between the pair on Twitter.

However, that plan was scuppered by the British Boxing Board of Control. They ruled Allen—who has had 10 fights as a pro—wasn't a suitable contender for the Lonsdale belt, per Richard Damerell of SkySports.com.

Instead of Allen, Whyte could take on Sam Sexton next month. The latter has a 22-3 (8 KOs) record and is a former Commonwealth champion.

In an interview with Mervyn Turner of World Boxing News, Sexton said: "Dillian is adept at the trash talking game and it worked in as much as it got him a shot at AJ and a promotional contract. But his only claim to fame, in talking himself into the fight, also got him knocked face first out against AJ."

Sexton has a point. There comes a time when talking can only get you so far. At 28, Whyte needs to back up his words with wins.

But in losing to Joshua, he did show enough to suggest he can make an impact on the heavyweight scene.

He certainly proved last time out that he's able to absorb shots. He lasted until the midway point of Round 7—no other Joshua opponent has made it beyond seven-and-a-half minutes.

The injury wasn't the first setback in Whyte's career either. In 2013, he was handed a one-year ban (backdated to October of the previous year) after testing positive for Methylhexaneamine (MHA).

After failing to get the suspension overturned on appeal, Whyte tweeted (h/t Matt Slater of BBC Sport): "I will be back mate stronger and much more educated."

True to his word, he returned with a plethora of knockout victories to earn a grudge match with Joshua.

Whyte is going to have to earn another crack at his rival by recording notable victories.

Becoming British champion before the end of the summer would be a good start on the road to a rematch, but there's no need to become preoccupied with just one man.