By Jake Tiernan: Michael Hunter is picking Anthony Joshua to defeat Dillian Whyte in their still-to-be-announced rematch on August 12th in London.
Hunter, a fringe-level contender, has been helping with sparring Joshua (25-3, 22 KO in Texas, and he feels that AJ is looking good and is in the right mindset to defeat the 35-year-old Whyte.
If Joshua loses the confidence-booster fight against Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs), there’s going to be a huge backlash at AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn because he’s the one that has been banging the drum for this needless rematch.
Hearn is obviously counting on Whyte’s name recognition helping to bring in the PPV buys for the rematch with Joshua.
It’s off-putting to see a promoter drag out an over-the-hill fighter like Whyte and sell a fight between him and Joshua to the public, but that’s what’s happening. Whyte is fighting at the level of Derek Chisora at this stage of his career, and he’s not someone worthy of a match against Joshua.
According to Spencer Oliver, Whyte is getting paid $5 million for the rematch with Joshua, and that’s a lot of money for a fighter that has looked as bad as he has in his last four fights.
There was a time when a rematch between Joshua & Whyte would have been a great fight that the UK boxing fans would have been excited about, but unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Dillian has gotten old and has arguably lost three out of his last four fights. Whyte’s last fight was a gift decision over Jermaine Franklin in November of last year, and he was outboxed and soundly beaten by the American fringe contender.
Joshua will win rematch
“I came over to Dallas spar with Anthony. I think AJ wins that fight,” said Michael Hunter to Boxing UK about Anthony Joshua’s rematch against journeyman Dillian Whyte on August 12.
It’s obvious that Joshua will win the rematch with Whyte. The only question is, what round will AJ knock out the shell of Dillian?
Fans would prefer that Joshua fight someone that’s not over the hill, with a record of 1-3 in their last four fight. These guys would be better options:
- Frank Sanchez
- Charles Martin
- Jared Anderson
- Luis Ortiz
- Andy Ruiz Jr
“I’m expecting the DAZN and Matchroom to announce this. Surely there is no more hold up,” said Ade Oladipo on his Youtube channel about the Joshua vs. Whyte rematch on August 12th.
“There was an issue with a rematch clause. AJ removed that rematch clause. There was an issue with money, and I think they’ve got a bit closer with the money. So I think it’s happening. I think we are going to see Anthony Joshua vs. Dillian Whyte, and I think it will happen.
“Both of them are in camp. This isn’t like a fight that’s getting announced with two fighters that are just coming off the couch.
“Both of these guys are clearly training. You go on their Instagrams. They’re both in shape; now they just have to fine-tune things and prepare for a bit of a war.”
Will Dillian help promote event?
“The press conference between these two will be explosive. I don’t know if there’s going to be a face-off. There wasn’t disappointingly between AJ and Franklin. So hopefully, there is a face-off between these two because if there is, if you remember the first one they did, it was crazy.”
Hearn says he’s already been told that Whyte won’t help promote his rematch with Joshua, which could mean that he won’t speak during the press conferences.
Whyte choosing to be silent will put more pressure on Hearn to yap it up to create more interest in the fight because it’s going to be difficult to get people interested in seeing this stale clash.
“There’s respect there, but there is a lot of hate as well,” said Ade. “Hate’s a strong word, but I believe it is between these two. So yeah, look, I think the fight’s going to be announced. I look forward to it. I’ve always said AJ needs three fights this year.
“There was a time when it felt like it wasn’t going to happen. AJ put it on his social media, like, ‘I’ll see you guys in December’ or whatever, but I think now that we’re going to get those three fights, and I can’t remember the last time AJ had three fights in a year.
“That camp right now that AJ’s in must be buzzing. How crazy is that camp right now? Jermell Charlo, undisputed versus undisputed, Canelo, Errol Spence undisputed fight vs. Terence Crawford and AJ in one of the biggest fights in the heavyweight division for a long time, hopefully in December against Deontay Wilder. But obviously, first, he’s got this one against Dillian Whyte.
“You want to be in that camp right now. That camp must have incredible energy. Let’s see what Dillian Whyte says at the press conference. Let’s hope he turns up for the press conference. I remember when I did the Fury-Whyte press conference, and Dillian didn’t turn up for it.
“I remember I interviewed Fury by himself. I was like, ‘Where’s Dillian Whyte?’ And he’s like, for whatever reason, I don’t know what the reason was. I can’t remember, but he didn’t turn up. So you better turn up for this one. He better,” said Ade about Whyte.
