Dillian Whyte says he isn’t done. Nine days after a 119-second stoppage defeat to 20-year-old Moses Itauma at the ANB Arena on August 16, the 37-year-old heavyweight broke his silence on social media: “This is not where my story ends. I may have lost this fight but not the fire that built me… I’ll be back.”
The emphatic result sparked retirement talk for Whyte, now 31-4 (21 KOs), given the gulf in form and age against the surging prospect. Instead of stepping away, Whyte thanked supporters “through the highs and lows” and made clear he intends to rebuild.
Watch Itauma vs. Whyte highlights: Watch
It’s been a stop-start stretch since his sole world-title shot ended in defeat to Tyson Fury at Wembley on April 23, 2022. He returned seven months later to outpoint Jermaine Franklin, then saw an August 2023 rematch with Anthony Joshua collapse after a positive VADA test - later ruled contamination - without the bout being rearranged.
Whyte didn’t fight again until March 2024, beating Christian Hammer via a bizarre retirement in Castlebar, Ireland, and then forcing Ebenezer Tetteh to quit on his stool in Gibraltar on December 15. Hoping Itauma would be the springboard to another title run, Whyte instead faces a reset - but, by his own words, not an ending.
And what do you think? Was this Whyte's last fight?
Image Credit: Sky Sports