DILLIAN Whyte is keen on facing his old heavyweight rival Derek Chisora for the third time. While third fights usually aim to settle the score, Whyte has already defeated Chisora twice, suggesting that he has other motivations for a rematch.
Chisora has maintained his popularity among fight fans by delivering entertaining performances against the likes of Joseph Parker, Kubrat Pulev, and Joe Joyce. Meanwhile, Whyte has faded from the limelight and was last seen in a bout in Castlebar, Ireland, where his opponent Christian Hammer retired after three rounds.
Whyte’s most recent significant victory was in November 2022 when he defeated Jermaine Franklin via a 12-round decision. A potential rematch with Anthony Joshua was in the works before Whyte tested positive for banned substances. Despite the setback, Whyte has been cleared to continue his career and is now challenging his old opponent while referencing the past “donkey” insult.
The first encounter between Whyte and Chisora took place in 2016, with Whyte narrowly winning by split decision after a grueling 12-round battle in the Manchester Arena. They faced off again in December 2018, a fight that mirrored their first encounter until Whyte landed a decisive left hook in round 11, knocking Chisora out despite Chisora leading on two scorecards.
Despite the apparent finality of the second fight’s outcome, Whyte took to Instagram to challenge Chisora: “Hey Derek Chisora, stop horsing around and let’s have another fight. I’m not interested in talking, just in putting you to bed once more.” He concluded the message with the hashtag #FOREVERDONKEY.
In advocating for a third bout, Chisora could argue that he is currently in better form and came close to winning both previous fights. He also secured a third fight with Tyson Fury despite clear losses in their initial encounters.