Dillian Whyte has been in the wilderness as of late being in a purgatory state. This started when Whyte was booked to face Anthony Joshua in a fun rematch as part of Joshua’s rebuild August 2023. However, it would fall apart on short notice as Whyte would fail a PED test fight week. This is the 3rd time that Whyte tested positive for a banned substance. Following the failed test Whyte was subject to investigation and would not fight again until March this year after being cleared by the Texas boxing commission.
Whyte would fight journeyman Christian Hammer as a comeback fight. This made sense given the fight was happening Whyte had been out for a little over 2 years. So, he needed a warm up fight against a lower level opponent to dust off the cobwebs. But, there was a strangeness around the fight. Firstly it was promoted by a fairly obscure promotion Platform, secondly it was in Ireland, and thirdly it wasn’t televised. It was all a bit strange to be frank with barely any coverage many weren’t even aware the fight happened. Regardless, Whyte won and many expected him to step up in competition in a domestic dust up or against a fringe contender. However, instead we had more silence until recent times.
Whyte vs Tetteh
DAZN announced on social media that Dillian Whyte will be fighting Ebenezer Tetteh December 15th in Gibraltar. Now this is a very strange announcement for several reasons. Chief among these reasons is the opponent Tetteh somebody who likely no boxing fan has ever heard of until now. Tetteh is a 36 year old Ghanaian heavyweight with a record of 23-1 20 of his wins by KO. On paper his record seems solid however it only takes looking at his opposition to see through the record.
Tetteh’s opponents have been less than stellar being other obscure names with primarily losing records. The only time he has fought outside of Africa was against Daniel Dubois. Tetteh fought Dubois back in 2019 and unsurprisingly got knocked out in the 1st round. So, it would seem like the only reasons Tetteh was chosen is because he has a decent looking record and is someone Whyte should beat with ease. This would make sense if this was Whyte’s comeback fight however Whyte already had his cherry picked comeback fight against Hammer.
Whyte is in the twilight of his career at 36 years old and having been in many wars he does not have much time left. If he’s still serious about fighting he should be pursuing fights that will make him more money. And the fights that make him more money are the bigger names which actually garner interest. A trilogy fight against Chisora would do numbers as would a Joe Joyce fight. If he were to beat either or those names it would get him back into the mix in the division.
Dillian’s Future
If Whyte wins he should pursue some higher level opposition. As previously mentioned the Chisora trilogy is always there and with both men near the end of their careers it could be the perfect send off. Or if Whyte is feeling ambitious he could pursue other fights such as British prospects Johnny Fisher, David Adeleye, or Frazer Clarke. Although, those fighters are dangerous up and comers they are beatable and would give Whyte a lot of stock. Fabio Wardley a protégé of Whyte’s has already beaten Clarke and Adeleye and may have softened them up. Wardley could also provide Whyte with some insight.
However, there are also higher risk fights out there which would have higher rewards. Whyte could pursue some fringe contenders such as Andy Ruiz, Jarrell Miller, Otto Wallin, or Joe Joyce. These would be fights which would sell better however are a bit more tricky for Whyte. And how he looks against Tetteh really determines what level his next opponent should be.
Regardless, Dillian Whyte has had a good career and has been a massive over-achiever for his level of ability . Whyte has provided the British public with many memorable nights of entertainment and watching him fight has been a pleasure. He has been a constant underdog getting by with his grit, will, and power with a relaxed but no nonsense attitude. And if he retires after this fight or the next he will be missed. We shall see what the future will hold for Dillian Whyte December 15th.
Featured image credits to Embed From Getty Images
