By Keith Idec

Wladimir Klitschko contends there’s no truth to rumors he’ll end his retirement to fight Dillian Whyte on April 13.

Klitschko called reports regarding a fight with Whyte “fake news” in a text exchange with Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, who revealed the information Monday morning through his Twitter account. Ukraine’s Klitschko (64-5, 53 KOs), who’ll turn 42 on March 26, retired 17 months ago, rather than embracing an immediate rematch against Anthony Joshua.

The long-reigning heavyweight champion lost a knock-down, drag-out brawl with Joshua by 11th-round technical knockout in April 2017. Their epic encounter drew a capacity crowd of roughly 90,000 to London’s Wembley Stadium and won the “Fight of the Year” award from the Boxing Writers Association of America.

In his previous fight, 17 months earlier, Klitschko lost the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO championships to another unbeaten Brit, Tyson Fury. The 6-feet-9 Fury out-boxed Klitschko, who was a 4-1 favorite, to win a unanimous decision in their 12-rounder in Dusseldorf, Germany.

It is Joshua, not Klitschko, who’s likely headed for an April 13 fight against Whyte. The Jamaican-born, London-based Whyte is the No. 1 challenger for Joshua’s WBO title and wants nothing more than to avenge a seventh-round, technical-knockout defeat to Joshua three years ago at O2 Arena in London.

Promoter Eddie Hearn, whose Matchroom Boxing represents Joshua (22-0, 21 KOs) and Whyte (25-1, 18 KOs), reserved Wembley Stadium for April 13 last year as part of a two-fight deal for Joshua to fight at that venue. Hearn also has explored the possibility of the unbeaten British superstar next making his debut in the United States against Brooklyn’s Jarrell Miller (23-0-1, 20 KOs), probably at Madison Square Garden at some point in June.

Another domestic showdown with Whyte would make more money for Joshua and Hearn, but Joshua is intrigued by the idea of fighting at Madison Square Garden. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist sat ringside at The Garden when Canelo Alvarez knocked out Rocky Fielding in the third round while making his debut there December 15.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.