There was plenty of fine body punching on display in Nebraska last night, as Terence Crawford crushed Julius Indongo with a wicked body shot in the evening’s main event, and as heavyweight Dillian Whyte showed his body shot handiwork on the under-card.
Boxing his US debut, the British heavyweight was, as expected, too much for journeyman late replacement (for original foe Michael Grant) opponent Malcolm Tann. Whyte, beaten only by Anthony Joshua at pro level, stopped Tann in the 3rd round, sending him down a total of four times along the way. And after his easy yet quite impressive win, Whyte predicted how WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder “will fall after three or four rounds” if he agrees to face him any time soon.
“I’m a natural body puncher and try to hurt these guys to the body” said Whyte who is known as “The Body Snatcher.” “Against Deontay Wilder, imagine those shots? With his thin, lean body he’d fall after three or four rounds. I believe in my power. If I land I can knock any of these heavyweights out.”
But can Whyte, 21-1(16) land a fight with “The Bronze Bomber?” Promoter Eddie Hearn has been trying, and is still trying, to lure Wilder in, reportedly offering him somewhere in the region of $3 million to defend his belt against his fighter. But so far, nothing – Wilder has not shown too much interest in facing Whyte. Whether this is because he has bigger fights lined up (Wilder has not boxed since back in February, this KO win over Gerald Washington coming after a seven month layoff due to injury) or is down to something else, only Wilder knows.
But for as long as he is active, Whyte is going to continue calling Wilder out and he is going to continue insulting the unbeaten WBC champ. Will Wilder find he’s had enough and decide it’s time to silence the vocal Londoner? Wilder-Whyte would be an interesting enough fight, certainly. One that would absolutely end via KO.