Dillian Whyte was likely also in store for a devastating stoppage loss to the emerging Moses Itauma, according to one eagle-eyed promoter.
Returning to action overnight in Riyadh, former interim WBC heavyweight champion Whyte was flattened by Itauma — finding himself on the wrong side of a brutal knockout inside just two minutes of the opening round in their headliner.
And suffering just his fourth professional loss, Whyte reportedly dealt with a pre-existing injury ahead of his fight with the unbeaten Slovak-born prospect Itauma.
But whether privy to that information or not, a veteran promoter has admitted that Whyte stood very little chance of toppling Itauma regardless.
Eddie Hearn admits Moses Itauma was the ‘worst’ fight for Dillian Whyte
Joining a laundry list of big names to react to the Jamaican’s knockout loss to Itauma overnight in Saudi Arabia, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn claimed there was really only one outcome when Whyte was pitted against Itauma.
“I feel very sad for Dillian (Whyte),” Hearn told Boxing News. “He shouldn’t have been in there if I’m being honest.
“That was the worst matchup for him with no activity. I feel like that was always going to happen
“…We always said those first three or four rounds were going to be horrendous for him. I didn’t expect them to be that horrendous.”
Dillian Whyte backed to fight Joe Joyce in return
And while retirement has been a subject surrounding Whyte in the build-up to his return against Itauma in the Middle East, a former foe of ‘The Bodysnatcher’ has suggested his next opponent already.
Twice taking on Whyte during their respective careers, former two-time championship challenger Derek Chisora has suggested his past opponent should weigh up a fight with the veteran Joe Joyce next, who is riding his own two-fight losing run.
Posing a potential ‘farewell fight’ for Whyte if he is to return to take on Joyce, Chisora claimed he was “sad” to watch his two-fight rival get stopped in such one-sided fashion against the highly touted Itauma.