Dillian Whyte has been forced to withdraw from his April 5 showdown with Joe Joyce, TalkSport have reported.

The 12-round heavyweight bout was set to top a Queensberry Promotions card also featuring Lawrence Okolie-Richard Riakporhe and David Adeleye-Jeamie Tshikeva. According to the report, Joyce remains on the bill, set for Manchester, England's Co-op Live Arena, with Jermaine Franklin under consideration to replace Whyte.

Whyte, 36, has been on the comeback trail since a 2023 rematch with Anthony Joshua collapsed after Whyte tested positive for a banned substance. The Briton, not suspended by UKAD, was subsequently permitted to fight again. He defeated Christian Hammer and Ebenezer Tetteh last year to take his record to 31-3 (21 KOs).

The 39-year-old Joyce, 16-3 (15 KOs), was also looking to rebuild after losses to Zhilei Zhang (twice) and Derek Chisora. It seems, however, that he will have to do so against someone other than Whyte.