By Scott Gilfoid: Heavyweight contender Dillian ‘The Body Snatcher’ Whyte (24-1, 17 KOs) says there are levels in boxing, and his opponent this Saturday night Dereck Chisora (29-8, 21 KOs) doesn’t occupy the same level as him. Whyte, 30, says there’s going to be bloodshed when he gets Chisora inside the ring at for their rematch on Sky Box Office at the O2 Arena in London, England.
The last time the two fought each other, no one was bleeding and it was a match that Whyte won by a controversial 12 round split decision in 2016. Next to nobody thought the Eddie Hearn promoted Whyte deserved the decision. A lot of boxing fans saw it as the well-connected fighter Whyte getting a decision that he didn’t deserve. On Saturday, Whyte wants to win a conclusive victory using any means necessary. One would hope that it doesn’t involving fouling
“You know me, I do whatever it takes to get the win. I don’t need to get up and shout, ‘I’m going to do this or that.’ I just conserve my energy,” Whyte said.
Whyte isn’t kidding when he says, “I do what it takes to get the win.” Hopefully that doesn’t mean that we’re going to see head-butts, rabbit punches, head-locks, elbows and body slams on Saturday night. Whyte really roughed up his last opponent former World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion Joseph Parker last July in winning a controversial decision.
It was a mess of a fight with the referee blowing a call by giving Whyte credit for a knockdown after he slammed heads with Parker in the 2nd. Parker appeared hurt after the head-butt, and it took him until the 12th round for him to finally his act together. Parker knocked Whyte down in the last round and had him close to being stopped.
There are levels to this thing and my levels just keep rising. I keep improving. Derek will see how strong I am come Saturday night,” Whyte said.
Based on the previous Whyte-Chisora fight in 2016, both guys are at the same level. Whyte certainly can’t say he’s on a higher level than Chisora given that fight. Chisora lost a 12 round majority decision to Agit Kabayel (18-0, 13 KOs) last year in November 2017, but he didn’t get beaten in the classical sense. Kabayel, 26, played a hit and run fight for the entire night, and it was ugly to watch. Granted, Chisora was in awful shape at 254 pounds, and looking lazy and unwilling to chase Kabayel around the ring. Chisora would have likely knocked Kabayel out if the German fighter had stood his ground and fought him for 12 rounds. Chisora’s punching was fine, but he didn’t have the wheels or the inclination to chase the runner Kabayel around the ring the way he needed to.
Whyte is talking about conserving his energy, and staying relaxed. That’s how he fought against Robert Helenius, Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne and Parker. Whyte casually strolls forward, slapping with his punches, and fight slowly. Whyte has been fortunate that he hasn’t fought anyone good in the last few years, so he’s been able to dodge losses. But on Saturday night, Whyte is going to need to fight a lot harder than he’s been, since Chisora is going to push a fast pace.
“I just conserve my energy. I’m relaxed. You guys know what I bring and that I can fight, and I can box, and I can hit,” Whyte said. “You guys know my power…There will be blood on Saturday night.”
Whyte used to be a good puncher with his left hook, but he’s lost the power with that arm. He’s now a slapper, and a boxer for the most part. Whyte has a good jab, and that’s clearly his best weapon. Against Parker, things were going badly for Whyte early on, but a head-butt changed the complexion of the fight. Once Parker was stunned from the clash of heads, Whyte started roughing him up, and he took over the fight.