Fury vs Whyte took place on Saturday, 23rd April, in front of a packed crowd of 94,000 spectators. The fight ended during the 6th round after Fury hit Whyte with a monstrous uppercut and was counted out.
Dillian Whyte had waited for over 1700 days for his mandatory challenge for the world title, so understandably had to be devastated with the outcome following his well overdue title shot. Whyte told BBC Radio, “There wasn’t a lot in it, it was a close fight, and I didn’t feel like I was outclassed in there. My game plan was to press him and start moving forward. I was trying to attack, but one slip, and I got caught with the shot”.
Tyson Fury is monumentally huge at 6’9, so it would have been difficult for anyone to connect. Whyte isn’t a short man either, standing at 6’3, leaving a 6-inch height advantage in Fury’s favour. Fury also had an 85-inch reach compared to Whyte’s 78-inch reach, making it difficult for Whyte to even get close.
Both fighters were respectful to one another in the build-up to the fight, though tensions were extremely high. Referee Mark Lyson had to demonstrate multiple measures to control the fight, with the two fighters clinching up and throwing vicious shots whilst Lyson tried to break them up.
Though Fury had positive things to say following the fight, stating that “Dillian is a warrior and I believe he will be a world champion”. Fury also stated that Whyte had some dirty tactics with an array of illegal blows, including elbows, forearms, and headbutts.
Dillian Whyte Left Unhappy With the Finish
Whyte stated, “When the uppercut landed, I was buzzed, but he full-on pushed me. I fell over and hit my head on the canvas, which is illegal. But as usual, they let Tyson Fury do what he wants and get away with it. I should have been allowed extra time to recover”. He also stated about Fury, “He said he’ll retire. I hope he doesn’t retire because I want another go,” as reported by Michael Benson
Though “The Gypsy King” has announced retirement from professional boxing, there still seems to be feelings that things aren’t resolved for “The Body Snatcher”. There is talk of Fury potentially fighting UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, but that is still up in the air.
Follow me on Twitter at @nilknarFnadroJ, and follow us at Combat Sports UK for more exclusive content!
Featured image credit to Embed from Getty Images
