De Ridder open to Whittaker rematch at light heavyweight, targets summer return

Reinier de Ridder has stated he does not rule out a potential rematch with Robert Whittaker at light heavyweight, though he prefers to face a different opponent for his debut in the weight class. De Ridder confirmed his next fight is scheduled for summer 2026. He emphasized that a rematch with Whittaker is not needed immediately at this time. The former middleweight previously lost to Whittaker in their first encounter. De Ridder appears to be strategically planning his move up to light heavyweight with careful opponent selection.