At 37, Dillian Whyte knows age is no longer an ally he can rely on. Though he fought twice last year, the former interim heavyweight champion understands: inactivity hurt his career. “Inactivity has basically killed my career in the last three years. I am looking at having a big fight at the end of July or early August, and I just thought I need some activity before heading into that,” he said in the lead-up to the Fabio Wardley–Justis Huni fight. And his wish was granted. Instead of fighting on an undercard, he will headline an event scheduled for August 16. Whyte will face the young and ambitious Moses Itauma on a Riyadh Season card billed as ‘Esports World Cup Fight Week.‘
Perhaps Dillian Whyte, whose career has been marred by losses and doping scandals, is aiming to set the record straight with a thumping victory over Itauma, whom many consider the next big star in heavyweight boxing. But he faces a daunting challenge. Despite his inexperience, Itauma is no ordinary opponent. With nearly 83% of his wins coming by knockout, the unbeaten Slovakia-born heavyweight, who narrowly missed breaking Mike Tyson’s (youngest heavyweight championship) record, remains the heavy favorite. So amid talks of a potential matchup against Oleksandr Usyk, many view Whyte as a step up for the young contender. Still, the narrative doesn’t faze Whyte. In fact, he has a surprising word of caution for Itauma.
Dillian Whyte revealed his mean streak during a catch-up with Queensberry’s Dev Sahni. When asked whether he had met Moses Itauma, Whyte replied, “Yeah. Yeah. Met him and talked to him a couple of times.” To Whyte, Moses Itauma came across as a ‘nice guy.’
Still, if Itauma has other plans, he’d better be prepared. Whyte intends to step in with no quarters given. “But he’s not trying to separate me from my consciousness. So, I need to do the same to him,” Whyte said. However, the Jamaica-born heavyweight clarified. “I don’t play no mind game. I intimidate no one. And you never see me bullying anyone or talking rubbish to anyone. No, I’m just chill,” Whyte said. However, he added, “If someone starts talking smack, then it’s different. If he starts talking rubbish, then it’s different.”
When provoked, he can lose his temper quickly, and when that happens, he becomes dangerous. Quoting Oleksandr Usyk, Whyte offered a final warning: “Don’t push the horses,” reminding everyone (read Itauma) that they might get the famous ‘Ivan’ punch Usyk used to floor Daniel Dubois.
Despite setbacks, Dillian Whyte remains upbeat and unfazed by what Moses Itauma brings to the table.
Dillian Whyte: Breaking the Itauma puzzle
But overconfidence shouldn’t replace confidence. In Itauma, Whyte will face an opponent who matches him physically. More importantly, the 20-year-old heavyweight brings a unique fighting style. As his recent bouts, including a second-round knockout of Mike Balogun, have shown, the southpaw fights more like a middleweight than a traditional heavyweight.
He rarely displays the slow, deliberate movement typical of a heavyweight. Moreover, he carries the weight of great expectations on his shoulders. Tyson Fury has retired. Anthony Joshua’s future remains uncertain. After last month’s devastating loss, it’s unclear how Daniel Dubois will bounce back. With perhaps only a fight or two left, Oleksandr Usyk is nearing the final stretch of his brilliant career.
Alongside Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel, Moses Itauma is one of the few poised to carry the torch for the heavyweight division. And he has no intention of making things easy for Dillian Whyte.
Whyte, nonetheless, remains unfazed by the hype surrounding Itauma. Recalling David Haye’s shocking defeat to Carl Thompson, he remarked, “Sometimes these guys get rushed, or sometimes they get blown out of proportion, and then things go wrong. It’s heavyweight boxing. Heavyweight boxing … it’s unpredictable.”
So, fans will have to stay tuned to see whether Dillian Whyte can bring his A-game.
Do you think Whyte has what it takes to pull off an upset against Itauma?
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