Dillian Whyte apologised to his trainer Buddy McGirt after suffering a devastating first-round stoppage defeat to rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
Whyte, who had boxed just twice in the previous three years, was hoping to use his experience to derail the 20-year-old’s momentum.
Instead, Itauma overwhelmed him in under two minutes, sending him face-down to the canvas before the referee halted the contest.
Speaking to Seconds Out, McGirt revealed that his fighter immediately expressed regret for how the bout unfolded.
Dillian Whyte apologised to his trainer Buddy McGirt after suffering a devastating first-round stoppage defeat to rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night
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“He’s good, his spirits are good,” McGirt said.
“He was down for a bit last night, but now he’s getting better.
"He’s apologised. I’m like, there’s nothing to apologise for, this is the game we’re in, it happens sometimes. This is the sport we’re in.
"You stepped in the ring, you did what you had to do, it went the way it went, but you don’t owe anyone an apology.
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“He steps up to the plate, he takes on anybody. Nobody wanted to fight Moses, he stepped up. Nobody has the mentality of Dillian.”
The contest was decided almost as soon as it began.
While Whyte’s jab repeatedly failed to find the target, Itauma picked him off with counters and delivered a heavy shot to the temple that left him badly shaken.
A follow-up barrage of hooks floored the former world title challenger, who did beat the referee’s count but was clearly unsteady, leaving the official no choice but to stop the fight.
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Dillian Whyte struggled during his showdown with Moses Itauma in Saudi Arabia on Saturday
|REUTERS
McGirt explained that one concussive punch effectively ended the night for Whyte.
“He did have an injury a couple of weeks ago but he said he was going to go through with the fight,” he said.
“Everything was good until he got hit with that shot, he didn’t recover quick enough.”
For Whyte, the result leaves his future in serious doubt.
The 36-year-old insists he will take time to reflect before deciding on the next stage of his career, knowing that opportunities at the highest level may now be limited.
Itauma, by contrast, continues to build momentum in extraordinary fashion.
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Moses Itauma looks destined for greatness following his victory over Dillian Whyte
|REUTERS
At just 20, the young heavyweight has already been tipped for greatness and is now being linked with a potential showdown against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Victories like this only strengthen the belief that he is destined for world honours sooner rather than later.