"When I beat Dillian Whyte in the UK, I will be the next big challenger to Anthony Joshua"
Thursday 13 February 2020 17:11, UK
Mahmoud Charr is willing to defend his WBA 'regular' title against Dillian Whyte and believes a knockout victory will help him to secure a fight with Anthony Joshua.
The Germany-based Syrian heavyweight is yet to agree terms with Trevor Bryan after being ordered to face the WBA 'interim' champion, with Charr hoping to stage the fight in Dubai on April 11.
Whyte is close to finalising a fight with Alexander Povetkin, but had named Charr on a shortlist of possible opponents for this year, and 'Diamond Boy' has welcomed talk of a UK fight in the near future.
"If the WBA don't accept Trevor Bryan, I want to fight [an opponent] from the top 15," Charr told Sky Sports. "I have to have a comeback fight.
"Then I want to come to the UK and fight Dillian Whyte and knock this guy out, because I want Joshua.
"I want the best heavyweight on the planet, which is Joshua right now.
"I know when I fight in the UK, I can be the next Prince Naseem. All the people will love it, because my heart is big, I'm a fighter, I'm not scared of anyone and I fight everyone in my career. I never say no.
"When I beat Dillian Whyte in the UK, I will be the next big challenger to Anthony Joshua."
Charr has not made a title defence since claiming the WBA 'regular' belt in November 2017, partly due to promotional disputes, along with a suspension for an adverse VADA drug test, which was later lifted by the WBA.
But the 35-year-old still wants to battle a big name in Britain after being denied a fight with David Haye in 2013.
Charr said: "The fight against David Haye it did not happen, because David Haye was injured.
"This was my first fight in the UK to get a big star in the UK, so everyone knows me. The fight was cancelled.
"I hope in the future, I can make a big fight there, because I love the UK, I love the fans. The best boxing fans come from the UK."
Joshua, who holds the WBA 'super' title and IBF and WBO belts, expects his next fight to be against IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev in London.
