After Dillian Whyte’s brief struggle with blown up Cruiserweight Brian Minto last month, a lot of doubt crept into boxing fans’ minds over his chances of toppling Anthony Joshua in December. Whyte’s believers may be in the minority, but he does at least have one major star in his corner. Well, one giving him a decent chance of winning, anyway.
“It’s strictly business and Dillian wants what Joshua has got,” Tyson Fury told the Voice Online. “I believe it is a genuine 50/50 fight. A lot of people are writing Dillian off because of the hype machine going around Anthony Joshua at the moment, but I believe Dillian has more than an edge on Anthony Joshua. I think he’s got a psychological edge.”
Fury is a professional boxer on the brink of perhaps capturing numerous world titles against Wladimir Klitschko on November 28th. I on the other hand am just a guy punching letters on a keyboard. But from where I’m standing, it would seem Joshua will have little problems with Whyte.
Yes, Whyte has a good Amateur background behind him, and yes, he dropped and outpointed Joshua in the Amateurs. He will also be Joshua’s biggest challenge to date – and no one can dispute that. Whyte carries KO power behind some decent boxing ability. The guy is good, granted.
But you have to consider just how wide the talent gap is between Joshua (16-0, 13 KO) and Whyte (14-0, 14 KO). And personally, that gap looks pretty wide. Not an ocean, not a crater, but wide enough to raise alarm bells.
Both men have similar records in terms of opposition, but there’s only one fact you need to know. In 14 bouts (scheduled for a total of 108 rounds), Joshua has needed just 25 rounds to win. In Whyte’s 16 bouts (scheduled for a total of 106 rounds), he has needed 44 rounds to win.
I won’t point out the obvious. Just think about the numbers.
It’s evident that Joshua’s precise, economical punching, combined with vaunted power, makes him a highly dangerous fighter. As you’ve probably heard a million times, the Olympic Gold Medalist is yet to go beyond 3 rounds. Even considering his mostly soft level of opposition, this is quite a feat.
Anthony Joshua vs Dillian Whyte will air on Sky Sports Box Office on December 12th, set to erupt at the O2 Arena, London. Joshua’s Commonwealth Heavyweight title will be on the line, as will the vacant British title. Who are you picking in this one, folks?
