DILLIAN WHYTE will have waited 900 days for his shot at the WBC heavyweight title.
But that is child’s play compared to the decade he lost waiting to be reunited with his mum.
3 Dillian Whyte and Oscar Rivas square up during their weigh in for Saturday's fightCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
3 Whyte is a self-confessed mummy's boy all over again after spending a decade without herCredit: Instagram
The 31-year-old, who fights Oscar Rivas on Saturday night for the interim belt at London’s O2 Arena, was born in Jamaica.
But mum, Jane, moved to London to build a better life for her family when Whyte was two, and forced to leave him and his dad behind.
The desperate following years, scavenging for food and sleeping on the streets, robbed Whyte of his youth and innocence until aged 12 he was able to reach Brixton and become a self-confessed mummy’s boy all over again.
So, when the WBC decided this week to hand him a May 2020 crack at the green and gold belt currently wrapped around Deontay Wilder’s waist, he scoffed at the idea the two-and-a-half-year wait was some sort of agony.
Whyte, who was made the No1 contender in November 2017, said: “Waiting for a world title shot is nothing compared to what I waited for as a kid.
There were nights I would sleep outside and I might go three days without eating. This situation is nothing.
Dillian Whyte on his childhood
“I was out there on my own knocking about from one place to another, surviving on the streets, spending the odd nights here and there.
“There were nights I would sleep outside and I might go three days without eating. This situation is nothing.
“There were many times I never thought I would survive but that was the life I lived and all I knew.”
Undefeated KO artist Wilder has a rematch with Luis Ortiz in November and Tyson Fury in February, before Whyte gets close to a hard-earned shot.
The belt might not even be in the Bronze Bomber’s hands by the time the Body Snatcher’s turn comes around.
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Whyte added: “The WBC are acting like they are doing me a favour but I have worked for this, I have done everything asked of me.
"I have beaten a lot of top-ten contenders and made a lot of people a lot of money.
“In my last few fights I have beaten Robert Helenius, Joseph Parker, ex-world champion Lucas Browne and Dereck Chisora twice.”
“I have not had a walk in the park but if the WBC think I am going to be jumping for joy — no way.”
3 Whyte weighed in at 18st 2lb and 7oz for the big fight at the O2 on SaturdayCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd