British heavyweight and top contender Dillian Whyte, 20-1(15) will make his US debut on August 19, as he will fight on the big 140 pound unification showdown between Terence Crawford and Julius Indongo. But those fans who were hoping the 29 year old “Body Snatcher” would look to make a splash by way of tackling a formidable foe can forget it.
Whyte is scheduled to face, get this – 44 year old former contender Michael Grant, 48-7(36). The bout is optimistically scheduled for eight rounds according to invaluable boxing site BoxRec. Okay, as a tune-up affair, Whyte was never going to risk his career, but Grant, really? In his day, sure, Grant, all 6’7” of him, would have given Whyte all the trouble he could handle. But today, coming off three straight stoppage losses, Grant looks like mere cannon fodder for Dillian.
Whyte, who was supposed to fight another giant of a heavyweight in Mariusz Wach some time back (having to pull out due to injury) would have been better off rescheduling that fight (too dangerous?) A win over Grant – last seen being stopped by Krzysztof Zimnoch in April, this loss coming after a two-and-a-half year layoff – will do Whyte no favours.
Even as a tune-up fight, this one might not serve its purpose. Grant, who we can only assume is fighting again because he either needs the money or cannot find anything else to do, does not have anything approaching great punch resistance these days – stopped some six times as he has been; three of them quite recently.
Whyte might put on a showcase of punching power, but with his fight with Grant set to be a non-TV bout, who will notice?
Heaven knows what Dereck Chisora will have to say if and when he reads who the man he went to war with back in December 2016’s epic heavyweight rumble has signed to face next instead of him!
It’s tough to see Grant lasting much longer than three or four rounds on August 19.