Dillian Whyte painted a vivid picture of the excruciating pain he endured in the weeks leading up to his clash with Moses Itauma. He likened the sensation to a heavy weight being dropped on his foot, describing the moment the fracture occurred during a training session last summer. "I was running, felt something give in my foot, then I went into sparring with some big, quick partners.
One of them pressed me, I stepped back the wrong way and the bone snapped cleanly," Whyte recounted. He admitted the injury was severe, but emphasized that dealing with physical setbacks has become routine for him.
"We’re used to pulling off miracles, fighting while injured," he said, adding that he managed to keep a decent preparation camp despite the setback. "I felt good in the week leading up to the fight and really believed I could beat Moses." Whyte’s career is littered with bouts fought under less‑than‑ideal conditions.
He famously stepped into the ring against his arch‑rival Anthony Joshua while nursing a badly damaged shoulder, and he has repeatedly overcome grim injuries to claim the WBC interim heavyweight title on two occasions. However, the fractured foot proved to be a stubborn foe. Just hours before his August showdown in Saudi Arabia, the injury resurfaced while he was warming up in the dressing room.
"I started jumping rope, and the foot gave way again – it was a complete re‑fracture," Whyte explained. The team called his doctor, who advised against fighting. Whyte refused to back down.
"There’s no way I’m traveling to Saudi and not stepping into the ring at the last minute," he declared, confident that he could still drag Itauma into the later rounds, much like Filip Hrgović had done recently. During the fight, Whyte attempted to hide the heavily strapped foot, but his limited mobility was quickly exposed. Itauma unleashed a barrage of punches, and the bout was stopped in the opening round.
While the victor celebrated, Whyte remained silent about the extent of his injury, choosing not to diminish his opponent’s win. He later explained his reticence: "I didn’t want to focus on my injury and take anything away from Moses’s victory.
I got caught, he won, and I didn’t want the narrative to be about my broken foot. People tend to jump to conclusions when they only see a first‑round knockout.
If they knew the full story, they might think differently." Whyte also reflected on the broader context of British heavyweight boxing, noting that the current generation of entertaining fighters is nearing the end of its era. "People have short memories and love to say ‘retire because of this, retire because of that,’ but they forget we’re part of a rare group of British heavyweights who have kept the division lively.
When we’re gone, there could be a long drought." Despite the setback, Whyte’s love for the sport remains undiminished. "I love boxing and I’ll fight anyone. Be grateful we’re still around, because once we’re gone, the heavyweight scene could suffer a serious lull," he asserted.
In recent weeks, rising prospect Johnny Fisher has publicly called for a bout with Whyte, suggesting a "good chance" the two could meet soon. Whyte responded positively, watching from ringside as Fisher secured a majority‑decision win over Michael Pirotton at the Copper Box Arena.
"Credit to Johnny – he’s a big lad, still learning the finer points, but he’s got courage, heart, and serious punching power," Whyte said. He praised Fisher’s resilience, noting that even when the fight gets tough, Fisher keeps pressing forward. "You can’t overlook that. Honestly, I’ll knock Johnny Fisher out – simple as that." Whyte’s manager, Michael Ofo, confirmed that the fight has already been discussed verbally and is moving toward a formal agreement.
"After Fisher’s win on Saturday, I shook hands with his manager Adam Morallee, and we agreed in principle to set the fight up," Ofo reported. He added that he was initially uncertain whether Fisher’s camp would accept the challenge, but Adam Morallee responded immediately: "Absolutely.
Let’s do it next!" Both camps see the potential matchup as a major British showdown that could generate significant interest in London. Ofo summed it up: "It would be a huge all‑British clash and a massive event for the capital. So let’s stop talking and make it happen!"