Dillian Whyte and the shame of boxing

The saga of the drug scandal surrounding the bout between Dillian Whyte and Oscar Rivas is a story that could only unfold in the underworld of boxing.

Whyte failed a drug test, but this news wasn’t released until after the fight was complete.

Stunningly, nobody from Rivas’s team was ever notified. Nobody from the public would have ever found out if not for journalist Thomas Hauser and his sources.

Now, Whyte is scheduled to fight against Saturday, with no punishment as yet by the British Board of Boxing Control, which is notoriously slow in investigating.

How Whyte is allowed to resume his career is unbelievable and the worst of exploiting a legality.

Meanwhile, Rivas has no recourse. The bout stands as a Whyte win and Rivas has to rebuild his career after losing, despite the fact it took place to a drug cheat.

The irony is that Whyte loudly criticized drug users in boxing for years. However, since his test, he has stayed far from the public eye. He and his promoter Eddie Hearn were even seen joking about it at the post-fight press conference after the bout.

Hearn said he would clear Whyte’s name before he fought again.

Hasn’t happened.

Hearn’s hypocrisy looms largest here, he also spoke bloody murder after Jarrell Miller failed multiple tests in his never-to-be clash against Anthony Joshua. But it seems if the boxer is in his stable, all is well.

Boxing is already a brutal sport, but allowing cheats to continue without any real punishment is unacceptable. A drug test failure should result in a two-year ban at worst, lifetime ban at best.

Giving an advantage in a sport where the point is already to concuss the other person is disgraceful.

At one time, boxing business took place in smoky rooms with mafia bosses looming over proceedings. Current promoters claim that things have changed, but it seems the only thing that has changed is the dons who wear the suits.