It was a cold winter night in London when with just a single punch, the heavyweight division’s seemingly inevitable destiny almost changed. The packed O2 Arena was at a fever pitch, watching on as two undefeated British heavyweights finally clashed. In one corner stood Anthony Joshua, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist with the world at his feet. Dynamic and destructive with the ideal look for a heavyweight hope, Joshua seemed poised for super-stardom but first, he had to overcome an old foe from his past.
That man was Dillian Whyte, a fighter with much less promotional support but one that owned an amateur win over Joshua years prior. That famous result alone captured the public’s imagination but with the added animosity between both men, this domestic dust-up had transformed into a genuine event. That brings us back to where we started, that one fatal punch that oh so nearly changed the boxing world. After a torrid first round Whyte had composed himself, catching an oncoming Joshua with a left hook, all to the gasp of that raucous London crowd.
Joshua wobbled, stiffened by the crisp counter and visibly shaken. Whyte exploded in response, unleashing a flurry of wild punches in the hunt for what would’ve been a truly stunning knockout. To his credit, Joshua weathered the storm but Whyte’s attack continued as suddenly, a back and forth brawl broke out. The pugilistic pendulum then began to swing, with both men having success until in the 7th round Joshua closed the show, emphatically flooring the exhausted Whyte for a dramatic knockout victory.
As with any major fight, the post-punch drama unveiled some other details. Whyte had entered the fight with a damaged shoulder but remained defiant, vowing to rebound better than ever, even citing all of the great champions that had once fallen before him. Whyte’s sheer desperation to make a valiant return then translated to his decision-making, as he changed his team and stepped his preparation up a level. Shoulder surgery came first though and that initially kept ‘The Body Snatcher’ out of action for six months.
His eventual return came in June 2016 and in just over three months, he’d scored three victories and captured the British Title. Those wins may not have come in the kind of fashion that excited the masses but Whyte had got rounds under his belt and with them, a chance to work on his developing skill-set. Whyte was still really finding his feet after everything that had happened and as he stepped into the ring with Dereck Chisora, all of those laid foundations would suddenly be very much required.
After a build-up that made his prior Joshua rivalry look tame, Whyte entered the favorite opposite ‘Del Boy’ but the personal friction had brought out a fire in Chisora than hadn't been seen in years, and that resulted in quite beautiful brutality once the bell rung. With a motivated Chisora walking him down, Whyte was forced to work harder than ever, punching in combinations to halt his oncoming foe. Dereck had his moments and together they made great drama and excitement, but Whyte’s fitness and work-rate was enough to earn him a tight decision win.
The potential impact of a twelve rounds battle like that one can’t be understated, with the damage sustained being enough to possibly shorten a career. Speaking of such, Whyte wouldn't step back in the ring until 8 months later and after a quick win there, Whyte took on Robert Helenius. Sadly, the Finn’s lack of ambition led to a lackluster affair, leaving Whyte once again unable to score the kind of win that would truly inspire the public. He got another decision victory regardless and kept his world title hopes alive.
Unable to secure that title shot next though, Whyte now had to sink or swim as a headline act. After being a valuable asset on other undercards, Dillian Whyte would finally main event an O2 Arena show, taking on dangerous contender Lucas Browne. The obvious game-plan was clear, avoid Browne’s power and pepper him at long range for a points win. However, with international audiences as well as the division’s champions watching, Whyte needed more, especially as the show’s biggest star.
For all of Browne’s limitations on fight night, Whyte’s performance was unquestionably excellent. He boxed smart but still fought with enough energy and purpose to overwhelm Browne often. Eventually, he closed the show in unforgettable fashion, knocking ‘Big Daddy’ out cold with a left hook that sent him face first to the mat in violent and quite frightening finish. The road to that point hadn't been easy, but Whyte had now very much become a genuine top contender, and an almost undeniable one at that.
The truth is, Dillian Whyte is no longer a man living off of one left hook, or even a much publicized amateur win. Instead he’s a popular, engaging and exciting heavyweight contender that through his toughness and ever expanding skill-set, is a tough outing for almost every fighter in the sport. His first shot at the big time may have been an unsuccessful one, but the vigor and fire that Whyte fought with that night was a precursor to his recent success. This is a genuine fighting man and with the more technical ability he’s shown as of late, one that’s becoming a quite fearsome Heavyweight contender.
