Dillian Whyte: Fighting for Respect in the Boxing Ring - Joshua vs Whyte 2
Dillian Whyte, the well-established heavyweight contender hailing from London, continues to feel undervalued by the boxing world, especially when it comes to high-profile matches such as Joshua vs Whyte. In a recent conversation, Whyte expressed his dissatisfaction regarding his perceived lesser importance within the boxing industry. He particularly underscored how the importance given to him was not up to par when compared to fights like Joshua vs Whyte. Despite this, he maintains a strong belief that he belongs to the echelon of elite fighters in his weight class. Whyte has previously aired several grievances. One of the most prominent of these is his longstanding resentment over the missed chance to compete against Deontay Wilder during Wilder's reign as the WBC champion, believing it had as much potential as the iconic Joshua vs Whyte showdown. Moreover, Whyte displayed discontent with the publicity efforts surrounding his bout against Tyson Fury, the WBC titleholder, last year at Wembley Stadium, London. He felt that it did not garner as much attention or hype as a Joshua vs Whyte match would have. As a form of protest, he declined to appear at the fight's press conference and largely abstained from promoting the event on his social platforms. However, as the rematch of Joshua vs Whyte approaches, the resilient boxer finds himself once again in the spotlight. He is gearing up for this significant challenge, squaring off against Anthony Joshua on Aug. 12 at London's O2 Arena. Joshua previously bested Whyte with a seventh-round knockout during their inaugural match in 2015, thus creating the legacy of Joshua vs Whyte. Whyte, however, remains optimistic and resilient, acknowledging life's ups and downs. He humorously compared his ability to make the best of tough situations to being a "lemonade master" when life gives him lemons. Even though Whyte anticipates public skepticism and excuses if he defeats Joshua in their rematch, he maintains a positive outlook. He believes that even if he wins the Joshua vs Whyte rematch, he may still not receive the recognition he believes he deserves from some observers. Regardless, he is focused on proving his worth in the ring.
“I’m used to ups and downs in my life,” Whyte told BBC 5 Live Boxing. “Obviously, it’s a shame being one of the top fighters in the world, I’m still struggling like I was [earlier in my career]. It’s the same. “It’s been tough. I haven’t been treated the way I should’ve been treated and getting the right respect. It’s life, man. When life gives you lemons you make lemonade. I must be a lemonade master by now. “I’m a happy soul, anyway. Even if I beat AJ, I’m still not going to get the respect I deserve. If I beat him, they’re gonna say, ‘Oh, he was diminished. He was losing his mind. He was this, he was that.’ There’s going to be some nonsense being said.”
