Last updated on .From the section Boxing

Dillian Whyte hopes to finally get a world title shot if he beats Oscar Rivas

Britain's Dillian Whyte has dubbed heavyweight boxing "a joke" amid frustrations over the division's champions failing to agree fights.

Whyte, 31, takes on Colombia's Oscar Rivas at London's O2 Arena on Saturday.

Going into the bout, he has been ranked number one with the WBC - behind champion Deontay Wilder - for around two years without getting a title shot.

"How can you be number one and the champion not fight you? It could be such a good era," Whyte told BBC Sport.

"We can all fight one another three or four times. But these guys worry about losing, so it's a bit silly. We are all getting on, time waits for no man. I don't want to fight these guys at 35, or 36. We should fight now."

'These guys are jokers'

Whyte has compiled nine impressive wins since his only career defeat to Joshua in 2015, earning him a healthy respect among fight fans for taking high-risk contests.

He had the chance to face Joshua again in April but turned down the financial package offered to him, prompting Joshua to face - and ultimately lose to - Andy Ruiz Jr on 1 June.

"I did expect him to beat Ruiz but wasn't surprised, it's heavyweight boxing," said Whyte, whose bout with Rivas will be covered in a BBC Sport live text.

"You fight good fighters or take on world-class guys, you are going to lose. Only Wilder is undefeated and he's fought nobody. The one decent guy he fought is Tyson Fury, who should have beaten him.

"He is fighting Luis Ortiz again in a rematch - what's the point? Heavyweight boxing is a joke.

"Wilder was happy when Joshua lost to Ruiz. Why? What other fight other than Joshua is he going to get that kind of money from? He said Joshua was rubbish, so why didn't he fight him for $50m then? These guys are jokers man.

"I'm sure after this fight, God willing everything goes according to plan - then there's no reason they can deny me."

Whyte's promoter Eddie Hearn has lobbied the WBC to clarify why Wilder has not been ordered to face his man, who now has 25 wins and a single defeat to his name.

Dereck Chisora, who Whyte beat in 2016 and 2018, said the WBC isn't recognising his conqueror and that boxing's politics come down to "who's a big dog, who's a gangster and who has real money". external-link

Whatever the view, a defeat to Rivas - who has 26 wins from 26 fights - would decimate any short-term plans Whyte has of a first world title shot.

"Rivas is undefeated, experienced and has that ignorance and arrogance of never having lost before," Whyte told 5 Live Boxing.

"He's never had to hang his head in shame, so he's dangerous. He oozes confidence and strength. I have been around the block and know how to deal with these guys now.

"I still have a lot of learning to do but instinctively I sort of know how to adjust in fights."