Dillian Whyte will put his career on the line tonight against Jermaine Franklin in the main event at the OVO Arena in London, England.
As shot as Whyte has looked recently, he could lose tonight, even though Franklin has been well-picked.
Boxing 247 will be giving results & updates below on tonight’s action.
The 34-year-old Whyte comes into tonight’s 12-round fight having been knocked out in two of his last three fights.
Like Derek Chisora, Whyte is still given opportunities for big money fights in the UK, and it’s hard to understand. Rather than allowing younger, more talented fighters to be given chances, old lions like Whyte & Chisora are continually trotted out and re-used.
Whyte (28-3,19 KOs) needs a win tonight to stay in the lottery for a big payday against Anthony Joshua in early 2023.
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Whyte’s career is on the line
“I think he was someone that wasn’t supposed to make it. The fact that he boxed for the world title at Wembley in front of 90,000 people, boxed Anthony Joshua, beat Alexander Povetkin, beat Oscar Rivas, had two tremendous fights with Derek Chisora, he’s been a real fan favorite in British boxing history,” said Eddie Hearn to DAZN Boxing about Dillian Whyte.
“He’s a tough, tough man. His skills have become more improved as the years have gone on, but I feel he lost a little bit of that ruggedness in the Fury fight, and I think he’s going to need it in the Jermaine Franklin fight, who has a good pedigree, good amateur experience and he’s definitely here to win.
“I like that because I don’t think we saw that in the Fury fight,” said Hearn about Whyte showing some aggressiveness during the weigh-in by shoving Franklin’s promoter Dmitry Bivol.
“Fury’s very clever at the weigh-in, cuddle, and almost befriend you before the fight, whereas Jesse Addison, the trainer for Jermaine Franklin, did a good job of winding Dillian Whyte up, as did Dmitry Salita, who was ready to fight as well up there.
“We need that from Dillian Whyte because without that; he’s not the same fighter. He doesn’t necessarily have the natural skills of a Jermaine Franklin or these fighters that have won golden gloves with great pedigree, but he’s very tough.
“He punches very hard to the body, and when he’s in a dog fight, he’s very difficult to beat. We want to see a dog fight on Saturday night, and I think it’ll be difficult for Dillian Whyte, particularly if Jermaine Franklin can deal with the occasion and deal with the levels that are in front of him.
“I think Dillian Whyte wants to be in big fights. He wants to fight for a world title again. A defeat to Jermaine Franklin basically cancels both of those options out.
“So he can be relaxed and play it cool as he is, but the fact is his career is on the line on Saturday night, and it’s a must-win fight for him against a dangerous opponent because relatively unknown to people outside of the boxing world.
“Most people look at this and say, ‘Jermaine Franklin, that’s a Dillian Whyte win,’ whereas people in America are saying, ‘This kid can fight.’ He can punch. He’s got a good boxing IQ. A new trainer and Dillian Whyte coming off a knockout defeat.
“As Jesse Addison said, ‘You’re a wounded lion. We’re going to take you out on Saturday night.’ I think they’re trying to put it in the mind.
“I think that’s the decision if he wins,” said Hearn when asked if Whyte will face Anthony Joshua if he’s victorious against Franklin. “Firstly, whoever wins this fight on Saturday will be the frontrunner for the AJ fight.
“A lot will be decided by the training team that will be implemented by Anthony Joshua to start camp from January the first. Do you have a fight before Dillian Whyte, or do you go straight into the Dillian Whyte fight?
“It is a big stadium fight, which would lend itself to the summer. AJ looking to fight in March really, but he’ll be watching. He wants to fight Dillian Whyte. He thinks that’s a great fight. He really enjoyed it.”
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