Dillian Whyte wants fight amateur rival Anthony Joshua

Dillian Whyte, who will return from a two-year ban for doping on Friday in London, is hoping to eventually fight a man he beat in the amateurs, 2012 Olympic gold medalist and current top heavyweight prospect Anthony Joshua.

Whyte (9-0, 6 KO) beat Joshua (9-0, 9 KO) back in 2009, and said he'd been rooting for Joshua in the Olympics and as a pro, until Joshua angrily reacted to a question about that loss in September.

"We fought a while ago and as far as I was concerned that was it," he said. "Even when he was in the Olympics, I was supporting him, saying there was no way he could lose.

"But then a couple of months ago he ripped some stuff about me to the press. He later said he didn't mean it and that they'd misinterpreted him, but it pisses me off to be honest."

Both fighters have been part of Wladimir Klitschko's recent training camps in Austria and Whyte admitted he had taken the opportunity to confront Joshua about his words.

"We were out in Austria at a training camp and I pulled him up on it. I said to him 'listen, we definitely have to fight again because I don't like what you said and, where I come from, people can't say things like that about other people. We're professionals so let's settle it in the ring.

"He's gone on and done well so far as a pro, so I just leave him to it. I just hope we do get to fight because I think it's a good fight for Britain. I'll be ready by January."

Whyte, 26, will face Ante Verunica (3-1-1, 1 KO) in his comeback fight on Friday. Joshua, 25, is back on Saturday's big Sky Box Office bill in Liverpool, facing veteran Michael Sprott (42-22, 17 KO), who will hope to take Joshua into uncharted waters, like the fourth round.