Whyte vs Chisora: The bad blood is still there as Dillian Whyte refuses to let Dereck Chisora turn the tables

Let’s get ready to rumble | Dillian Whyte looks relaxed for his rematch with Dereck Chisora at the O2 Arena tomorrow night despite the potential of 12 brutal rounds ahead
Adam Davy/PA Wire
John Dillon22 December 2018

Dillian Whyte sat bemused as the table hurled by Dereck Chisora soared towards his head.

Two years on, there was the same expression on his face as Chisora tried to spice things up ahead of their heavyweight rematch at the O2 Arena tomorrow night.

On the eve of that fight, Whyte finds himself both amused and bemused by his fellow Londoner as he has done for the past decade since the two of them first stepped into the ring as sparring partners, Whyte not long out of the kickboxing world at the time.

For their second meeting, the table-toppling Chisora (below) of December 2016 has been replaced by a born-again Christian, albeit one whose new-found religious beliefs still give him the freedom to wear a red “WAR” cap in the build-up.

Whyte said: “He’s got God in his life so good luck to him, whatever floats his boat really.

“I don’t want chucking tables, but there’s definitely still bad blood there and I agree it will be a war come tomorrow night.”

Whyte appears laid back to the point of being horizontal ahead of the fight despite a potentially brutal 12 rounds if their last meeting is anything to go by. On that occasion, Whyte edged a slugfest on a split decision. This time, the Brixton brawler is ready for whatever comes his way.

“I know there was a lot of excitement when the second fight was announced as the first one was just so good,” he said. “People expect the second fight to be the same, but I just don’t know with Dereck. You never know with Dereck.

“He says he’s in the best shape of his life and that he wants a war… we’ll see. Whatever he brings, I’ll win and it won’t go the distance. I will take him apart.”

At 30 and as a relative latecomer to the sport, there is credence to Whyte’s argument that he has yet to reach his peak as a fighter and that he is a more accomplished boxer than in 2016.

“It feels like there’s a lot more to come, I’m not the finished article,” he said. “I want to fight and beat Dereck and then I want to beat the best out there in the division, not just in this country but around the world.”

Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

Whyte is the No1 challenger to Deontay Wilder’s WBC belt, although that potential challenge lies on hold with Wilder set for a rematch against Tyson Fury next year. In addition, Whyte knows this week is a public audition amid all the posturing in the heavyweight division as to who might join Anthony Joshua in the ring at Wembley on April 13.

“I’m not really bothered about that,” he said somewhat unconvincingly.

Not even at the prospect of fighting in front of 90,000 people and with a potentially life-changing amount of money on offer? “No one can say what’s a life-changing amount of money for me. It might be different for me or for you or for the random guy sitting in his office over there.

“There is no deal for me to fight Anthony Joshua, fighters can get injured between now and then so I can’t bank on anything. What I can bank on is Dereck stands in my way tomorrow night. That’s where my focus is at.”

For the supposed hostility between Whyte and Chisora, there is still also mutual respect, and the former says there is a certain irony that he has helped Chisora’s resurgence.

“The guy has had eight losses and keeps coming back so all credit to him,” he said. “And I’ve helped that comeback by putting him on the undercards of some of my fights when he was down. I have to respect him as a fighter as he has shown his resilience and he’s still one of the top fighters out there.”

But what of the bad blood between them? He added: “I don’t dislike anyone. Life’s too short for hatred. “If someone gives me s***, though, I’ll give it back. But I’m never the one causing problems.”

In the remaining hours between now and fight night, Whyte will sleep and eat, his pre-fight meal of choice being roast beef, potatoes and a Yorkshire pudding. Then the father of three plans to return to the family home for Christmas, although he gives the impression the Whyte household might not be such a giving one this year. “I’ve not thought about Christmas, I’ve not even thought about the day after this fight,” he said. “I’m not one for forward planning.”

If the fight goes to plan, might he dip into his pocket for a Christmas present for Chisora? “Yeah, maybe. Let’s just see what happens.”

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