Dillian Whyte Beats Oscar Rivas on Points 

Dillian Whyte Beats Oscar Rivas on Points 

Dillian Whyte got the win, but yet again had to go deep, and you have to wonder how many times his body will keep obliging.

Whyte inflicted the first defeat on the record of Oscar Rivas, and in doing so he became the mandatory challenger to Deontay Wilder for his WBC world heavyweight title.

But will Whyte ever get his shot, a fight with Wilder looks a year away at the very least. Whyte won’t sit and wait, but will the imminent danger explode right in his face. Every fight he takes has risk, and you wonder if time and the accumulation of punches will catch up with him.

Rivas plodded forward, and never stopped doing so throughout the fight, but he largely flattered to deceive in that relentless forward march.

Rivas had a good opening round, but was hurt in the 2nd, and other than the 9th when he dropped Whyte, Rivas didn’t really threaten. That’s not to say it was one-sided, but Whyte appeared to be in control. I had him 3 points in front, but however you scored it, there was only one winner. The judges scored it 115-112, 115-112, 116-111, all for Whyte.

Rivas had a reputation as a plodder, a bit one-paced, which in many ways is what we got, good but not quite good enough. But he still gave Whyte another tough night at the office.

Despite the win, the opportunity with Anthony Joshua that was there in April was one he really should have taken, and you can’t help but wonder if he will get another.

Photo Credit: Matchroom Boxing