Dillian's clearly declined a good bit, but he's so so many levels more proven I'd still pick him, comfortably, to get the job done. You don't throw prospects into fights that far beyond what they've done before.
You have to be joking. Itauma would near kill Whyte. Whyte struggled against Franklin two years ago! Whyte is vo vulnerable. Itauma would destroy Whyte.
Whyte needs to fight some decent top-50 opponent who won't quit. He is clearly past his best and is very inactive recently. It is very hard to rate his abilities now
No, you have to be joking. If you think Itauma beating thoroughly shot Wach (who was only ever a bang average gatekeeper at his best) means he "easily" beats Franklin, let alone Whyte, you probably aren't thinking properly... Or you're just having a jolly good laugh. Overrating prospects by such ridiculous amounts is doing them absolutely no favours whatsoever.
As shot or near shot Whyte? Frank would have to be a moron to throw him in with Whyte right now. That's too big a jump up in class, we need to see Itauma build to that level of opponent first. Itauma has only had 10 fights and been fighting for 18 months as a pro, how many other prospects with 10 wins and 18 months experience would be favour over Whyte, probably 0 and rightly so.
These posts show how some fans can't see a genuine talent when it's in front of them. Whyte is utterly shot to bits and Itauma would destroy him, and comparing Anderson to Itauma? Have a day off!
I see talent in Itauma, rate him more after 10 fights than I ever did guys like Anderson, Hrgovic. Makhmudov and Sanchez. He has technical skills at this early stage these other guys didn't but that doesn't mean he'll make it to the top of beat a much more proven fighter at this early stage. It's easy to look good against opposition that doesn't force you to do anything different and allow you to do what you like. Even Loma lost because he got thrown in too early vs Salido. Does anyone think Salido ranks higher? Itauma may very well surpass Whyte but right now he's far too green and needs time to develop.
Do you have any idea how many times I've seen someone back a hypejob who's stepping up a level or two beyond where they've proved... And how often they're wrong? Backing underproven fighters and celebrating on the rare occasions you get it right doesn't make one a prophet - it makes them a fool, and such a fool that they can't even see it. Itauma undoubtedly has potential - but he's nowhere near fully developed and he's very unproven... In other words, he's a prospect. Can Itauma take massive punches (like Whyte's left hook, for example)? We have no idea yet. Can Itauma dig in and still succeed if he gets hurt early (like Parker did against Zhang, for example)? We don't know yet. Can Itauma stop highly durable fighters who aren't zombified and haven't been stopped multiple times before (which Wach was)? We don't know yet. The simple fact of the matter is we're talking about a talented kid with a lot of potential - but whether he'll become what some (including you) think he will or not is a completely open question... Many, many prospects get hyped HARD, and then don't make it. The higher up the levels you go, the fewer fighters make it... That makes it silly to back unproven fighters going way beyond their experience and provenness. I hope Itauma does fulfil his potential... But right now, the idea that Itauma beats a former legit contender who'd still beat most gatekeepers when Itauma himself arguably hasn't beaten a journeyman level fighter yet is an absolute ****ing joke (and I'm sorry but Wach is an absolute zombie now - if he'd been 34, with just the one loss to Wlad, Itauma's team wouldn't have let him anywhere near their kid). This sort of thread is a good way to see who's completely and utterly unrealistic in their assessments.
I agree with both of you in sentiment, wholeheartedly. However, Itauma would quite clearly destroy Whyte who is well past it and was always vulnerable since Joshua seemingly cracked his chin. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll find out because Whyte will probably face Chisora.
What are you even talking about here? After losing to Joshua, Whyte went on to establish himself as a legit contender - he got screwed a bit by Joshua not caring for a rematch and Wilder being a complete coward, so never got the title shot he deserved at his best (and had to wait for Fury, by which time Povetkin HAD actually damaged his chin badly), but the best of his career came after Joshua beat him. Whyte being declined by his standards doesn't mean he's shot enough to lose to unproven prospects. And, to put it mildly, Whyte is way less declined than the Wach that Itauma beat... Whilst also having been a couple of levels better in his prime than Wach, too. It most certainly isn't "clear" that Itauma would beat Whyte at all, let alone "destroy" him... I wouldn't even bet on Itauma seeing the final bell, honestly.
I voted for Itauma, but it's way too early and risky for him. I even think Jerry Forrest would be too early for him, he could max fight Gorman, it would be a very good test for him
Yeah everyone was saying Chisora was shot too lost to Usyk and Parker back to back, looked unimpressive vs Pulev, then lost to Fury and again looked poor against Washington and then beats Joyce. Whyte is clearly far past his best, but he's gained experience and knowledge Itauma hasn't, plus Whyte still has a cracking left hook counter and Whyte unlike anyone else Itauma has fought would actually show up to win, not just collect a paycheck. Beating a shot Wach was impressive but a past it Whyte is levels above that version of Wach.