Dillian Whyte has opened up about the debilitating injury that plagued him during his recent defeat to Moses Itauma, revealing he stepped into the ring in Saudi Arabia with a badly damaged foot that had already fractured twice.
The heavyweight described the initial moment of injury with vivid clarity.
It felt like someone had dropped a dumbbell on my foot,Whyte explained when recounting the fractured foot he sustained during a training session the previous summer.
I was running and I felt it [my foot] and then I went to spar and I was sparring big, agile guys and someone was pressing me, I stepped back the wrong way and then it just fractured clean.
Despite the setback, Whyte attempted to push through the pain barrier.
It was terrible, but we're used to pulling off miracles. We're used to fighting injured.He continued:
I made the best of the situation and had a decent camp. I felt good during fight week and really thought I would beat Moses.
The Brixton fighter has a documented history of competing through serious physical ailments. His clash with Anthony Joshua saw him battle with a severely damaged shoulder, and he has overcome numerous other injuries throughout a heavyweight career that brought him to the position of two-time WBC interim world champion.
Yet the damage to his foot proved particularly troublesome. The bone fractured for a second time while Whyte was preparing in the dressing room just hours before facing Itauma in August.
I started warming up, jumped a little bit of rope, and then reinjured the foot. Completely fractured it again,Whyte recalled.
We had to call the doctor who was with me to examine it. He advised me not to fight and I said 'no'. There's no way I'm going to come all the way to Saudi and not fight last minute.
I was confident that I would still be able to drag Moses into the later rounds and stop him as [Filip] Hrgovic recently did.
Whyte attempted to conceal the extent of the injury beneath heavy strapping, but his compromised mobility became apparent during the bout. Itauma capitalised on the limitation, unleashing a barrage of punches that forced the referee to halt proceedings in the opening round.
Following his defeat, Whyte chose not to publicly discuss the injury, preferring to allow Itauma's victory to stand without qualification.
I didn't want to mention it, go into it, and take away from his win, because he done alright. I got clocked and he won the fight.
I didn't want to go on too much about it and I think people got carried away with the fact that I got beat in a round by Moses.
I don't think people would draw the same conclusions if they had the full facts.
Whyte has remained sidelined since that August contest, but he is now ready to return to action. His target is Johnny Fisher, the Romford heavyweight who recently secured a majority decision victory over Michael Pirotton at the Copper Box Arena.
Fisher had publicly called for a showdown with Whyte following his win, and the former interim champion was present at ringside to witness the encounter. According to Sky Sports, Whyte was impressed by Fisher's performance and is keen to test himself against the younger fighter.
Credit to Johnny Fisher, because he's a big lump, he hasn't had time to learn a lot, but he's got a lot of courage, he's got a lot of heart, he's a big puncher and he's brave,Whyte said of his potential opponent.
He's a bit frantic and that, but he's very brave and he's a big guy who punches hard. When the fight gets tough, he keeps trying and he keeps coming back.
You can never overlook that but let's be honest, I will knock Johnny Fisher out, simple as that.
Whyte indicated his availability for a November or December clash with Fisher. According to The Sun, Whyte added that he would be surprised if the bout extended beyond three or four rounds, underlining his confidence in a swift victory.
The prospect of a Whyte-Fisher matchup has gained traction following Fisher's narrow win over Pirotton. The BBC reported that Fisher indicated there is a good chance the fight with Whyte could materialise next, though the Belgian challenger had pushed Fisher to his limits during their 10-round encounter.
Whyte's manager Michael Ofo has confirmed that preliminary discussions have already taken place.
The fight was agreed in principle following Fisher's win on Saturday night with a handshake between me and Fisher's manager Adam Morallee,Ofo stated.
I was unsure whether Fisher and his management would take the fight, in spite of Fisher having called Dillian out, so I called Adam over and asked him. He immediately responded: 'Absolutely. Let's do it next!'
It would be a huge all-British clash and a massive event for London. So, let's stop talking and get it on!
Whyte's broader perspective on his place in British heavyweight boxing underscores his determination to continue competing at the highest level.
People have short memories and they like to say 'retire because of this, retire because of that' but what they don't realise is we're members of a rare generation of entertaining British heavyweight boxers that are coming to the end of our careers.
I love boxing and I'll fight anyone. Be grateful that you have guys like me around because when we're gone, there will be a long drought in the heavyweight division.
What happens next
No official date or venue has been confirmed for a potential Whyte-Fisher encounter. While both camps have indicated verbal acceptance of the matchup, the bout remains at the call-out stage rather than being formally booked. Fisher has also been linked with other heavyweight opponents, though a clash with Whyte appears to be the more realistic near-term option for the Romford fighter.
