By Jeff Moore: In the main event, featherweight contender Josh Warrington (24-0, 5 KOs) defeated Patrick Hyland (31-3, 15 KOs) by a 9th round knockout on Saturday night at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, UK. Warrington put Hyland down three times in the fight with an accumulation of head blows.
It’s a stacked card in Leeds, UK on Saturday, and the fight of the night might just be the heavyweight clash between two men who appear to have a genuine dislike for another, or at least a healthy difference in opinion. Dillian Whyte will face unbeaten but far less known David Allen in a fight that although not a big fight, could propel the winner into something big. Whyte, beaten only by reigning IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua in a great action fight, is a big favorite to win at the sold-out show, but Allen has been calling for this fight for some time.
Now that he has what he today called his big opportunity, Allen is confident he will win the fight and prove that he belongs “at the top.” Allen, 9-0-1(6) may not have faced any big names in a pro fight, but as he said today at the final press conference before the fight, he has sparred plenty of elite heavyweights – and he says he more than held his own.
An interesting heavyweight match-up will take place on the July 30th Matchroom card in Leeds, as Dillian Whyte will face unbeaten Dave Allen for vacant WBC international belt. The 17-1(14) Whyte, who gave current IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua a great fight last December and is aiming to earn a second crack at A.J, will be having his second return bout since the 7th-round KO loss he suffered. Allen, 9-0-1(6) will be taking a step up in class against the man who is four years his senior at age 28, but “The White Rhino,” as Allen is called, has been asking for a fight with Whyte for some time.
British heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte is still talking about a potential fight with veteran former light-heavyweight king Antonio Tarver. The two have exchanged words on social media and Whyte says the fight can be made for this September, as long as Tarver does not price himself out and providing he can get a license to box over in the UK. Whyte wants 47-year-old Tarver’s name on his record, and he is sure he’d stop him if the fight did come off.
Antonio Tarver, who recently called out British heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte, wants a lot of things: a fight with Whyte, which he feels will lead to a shot at IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, which he feels would lead to a win that would see him surpass the legendary George Foreman as the oldest-ever heavyweight champ. It might be a long road, but Tarver feels the Whyte fight will see him achieve his latest dream.
Whyte, who boxes in Leeds on July 30, responded to Tarver’s calling him out on Twitter, and Tarver responded to Whyte’s claims that he would “smash him to pieces.” Tarver made it clear, when speaking with Sky Sports, how he wants Joshua and a shot at history, and that a win over Whyte would get him there.
Once-beaten British heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte returns to action for the second time since his exciting, but losing, December 2015 fight with Anthony Joshua on July 30, when he will face a TBA in Leeds. Whyte spoke to Sky Sports pundit Johnny Nelson at yesterday’s press conference to promote the stacked Leeds show – topped by the hugely popular Josh Warrington against Patrick Hyland and also featuring Luke Campbell in action and Tyrone Nurse against Tommy Coyle – and he spoke of the problems he has in getting himself a decent fight.
Heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte does not see the upcoming, agreed fight between former heavyweight champs David Haye and Shannon Briggs as a mismatch. Far from it, Whyte says he will not be at all surprised if 44-year-old Briggs KO’s 35-year-old Haye. Speaking with The South London Press, Whyte – will face Ivica Bacurin, his third change of opponent, on Saturday’s Joshua-Breazeale card – said he has been hugely disappointed by the quality of Haye’s comeback opposition.
Returning to the ring for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery after his exciting loss to current IBF heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua, Dillian Whyte will face short notice foe Danny Batchelder this Saturday on the Joshua-Breazeale card at The O2. 28-year-old Whyte, 16-1(13) last boxed in December, the 7th-round stoppage loss to A.J, and he is chasing a rematch with Joshua. As a comeback opponent, Batchelder, 31-11-1(15) is not a bad choice; even if the man from Phoenix has seen better days.
Go back a few years, to 2007 and 2008, and Batchelder was facing former world champions James Toney and Lamon Brewster and giving them good fights, Toney especially, who won only a split decision over him. A top class journeyman/trial horse in his day, Batchelder could always be relied upon to give world class fighters a decent enough test. But Batchelder, who has been stopped six times, has not fought in almost a full year and he lost his last two bouts. Before that, though, Batchelder had reeled off six straight wins (against limited opposition).
Dereck Chisora is no stranger to controversy and the Londoner is also, apparently, not lacking in reserves of energy. It was just over two weeks ago when “Del Boy” was comprehensively beaten on points by Kubrat Pulev in an unsuccessful challenge for the vacant European title (forget the split decision, this was a clear win for the Bulgarian) – despite this, yesterday, as fellow British big man Dillian Whyte attended a press conference to help promote his recent signing with the Matchroom stable, Chisora burst onto the scene and almost got into a physical fracas with “The Villain,” (or “The Bodysnatcher,” depending on Whyte’s current chosen nickname).
With IBF heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua having vacated the British title he won just this past December in a thrilling battle with Dillian Whyte, the British Boxing Board have called for Whyte to face unbeaten Hughie Fury to decide the vacant title. In a brief interview with Sky Sports, Board chairman Robert Smith said the fight will go to purse bids if no deal can be reached between the two fighters and their teams in the meantime:
“The purse bids are due on June 8, however, they have between now and June 8 to negotiate the private deal if they wish,” Smith said today.