DILLIAN WHYTE survived a doping charge, a thunderstorm and a 6ft 8in Viking, all in the space of 24hrs, to get his career back on track.
The Brixton Body Snatcher had been fighting a UK anti-doping charge since July, that was finally thrown out late on Friday evening.
Dillian Whyte looked well off his usual conditioning during a points win against Mariusz WachCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Dillian Whyte came in heavy for the fight, and it showed as he slugged it outCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Earlier that day the 31-year-old proved he had been comfort eating during the depressing time by weighing in at a career-high 19st 5lbs, with his belly hanging over his shorts.
But he weathered the Diriyah downpour to survive his gut-check comeback and slug out a unanimous points win over 39-year-old Mariusz ‘The Viking’ Wach in rain-soaked Saudi Arabia.
Whyte said: “I boxed nowhere near my standard, I came in about a stone over weight.
“I have been through hell, I went from being a hero to being a nobody but I am as tough as old boots.”
SAUDI SLUGFEST
Whyte started the opener with the busier work, tapping Wach to the ribs and head with his trademark left-hook but doing no lasting damage.
The South Londoner, who always insisted he was whiter than Whyte during the six-month effort to clear his name, clipped the veteran with a one-two in the final moments, scoring but not conclusively.
Wach started the second with much more aggression and landed with a two-punch combination that should have woken the Brit up.
And just before the bottle-blond hardman looked like winning the rounds, Whyte tagged him with a three-punch combo that might have nicked the session back in his favour.
Both men looked shattered after just six minutes work but both slashed away at the opposing body, with enough bulk between them to avoid a winding.
Whether it was exhaustion or intimidation, the pair struggled to even navigate past each other at the bell, rutting like stags before taking to their stalls.
Dillian Whyte entered the ring with plastic bags over his shoesCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
HURT UNDER EYE
One of the reasons Saudi Arabia have apparently taken an interest in boxing is an effort to tackle their obesity problem among a youthful population.
So they will have probably been confused by the two athletes slinging shots aimlessly in the fifth, with Wach’s last punch nicking the slow stanza.
Whyte smiled when Wach tagged him with the very first punch of the sixth, an arrow-like right that caught the Jamaica-born banger off guard.
And the former WBC mandatory challenger was left with a welt under his right eye.
The plodding pair managed nothing in the seventh and a little less in the eighth, it was enough to drive someone to dream about drink.
Whyte was wobbled in the ninth when a left hook seemed to catch him in the sweet spot behind the ear, the Brit’s legs stiffened and he pawed at his bruised bald head and another heavy barrage from the underdog rained in on Whyte as the bell rang.
Whyte scored with a one-two as soon as the final round started but Wach roared back with a single straight right.
But rapid three-punch combo snatched the round for Whyte before the judges scored it 98-93 and 97-93 twice.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
