By: Sean Crose
Dillian Whyte has been waiting for this moment for a long time. Now, the 28-2 Brit will have a chance to win the heavyweight and WBC belts when he faces defending champion Tyson Fury 31-0-1 tomorrow at London’s Wembley Stadium. Nearly a hundred thousand people are expected to watch the match live while who knows how many more fans will watch the event through pay-per-view. While there is little doubt that 33-year-old Fury is the favorite to step in, 34-year-old Whyte is stepping in for the chance of a lifetime. However, will heart and determination be enough to topple Whyte’s fellow Brit?
Fury, after all, has emerged as one of the most skilled heavyweights – if not the most skilled heavyweight – since the days of Lennox Lewis. Furthermore, he won several fights against American thunderbolt Deontay Wilder. And while Whyte has only lost to Anthony Joshua and Alexander Povetkin – so down, those two – there are those who don’t see him as a serious threat to Fury. This may not be wise, as Whyte has a very nice stab and can certainly hit the mark. Furthermore, Fury has repeatedly proven that he can get hurt.
However, Fury is an unpredictable fighter. First of all, there is a huge size of man to worry about. He stands at about 6’9. Then there are the different styles that Fury can use. For instance, when he first won the world championship against Wladimir Klitschcko in 2015, Fury fought defensively and kept his man from doing any real damage. However, since teaming up with the Sugar Hill Steward, Fury has become a lot more aggressive, stopping Wilder twice in the distance (the first of three fights between the two men ended in a tie. draw).
However, it’s worth noting that one simply doesn’t make it to the top of the heavyweight ratings without hitting some sonic objections. Joseph Parker, Derek Chisora and Lucas Brown don’t lose to Whyte because the man lacks skill or heart. And then there’s Povetkin. While he knocked Whyte down with a thunderous shot in their first inning, Whyte came back and completely overcame the Russians in their second first leg. However, Whyte most likely won’t get a second chance against Fury, should he lose this weekend. It’s basically an all-or-nothing scenario for the boxer known as the “Body Steal”.
