Dillian Whyte has updated fans on the severe injury that forced him to withdraw from his scheduled bout with Joe Joyce.
Whyte was set to face Joyce in Manchester on April 5th, but had to cancel the highly anticipated domestic clash after sustaining a deep cut on his finger during a gym training session.
Organizers were compelled to seek a replacement opponent for Joyce, while Whyte has begun his recovery with hopes of a swift return to boxing.
However, it might be some time before the 36-year-old can box again, as he revealed a graphic image of the injury, showing the cut reaching down to the bone of his finger.
In a talkSPORT interview, Whyte explained that he initially intended to proceed with the fight but had to withdraw upon realizing the injury’s seriousness.
He recounted: "I was training normally when a guy next to me in the gym dropped his weights, and they rolled downwards.
"As I lowered my weight, I accidentally trapped his finger between his dumbbell and mine.
"I still wanted to compete, so I didn’t immediately inform my team. I took a few days off due to a chest infection.
"But the cut was deep, reaching the bone. Initially, I thought stitches would suffice, and I could still fit my hand in a glove.
"The cut extends down to the first joint, making it difficult to bend, and I can’t fully clench my fist."
GRAPHIC WARNING
Whyte, known as ‘The Body Snatcher’, is currently consulting a specialist to explore the possibility of rescheduling the fight at a later date.
He added: "I am scheduled to see a specialist later this week for further evaluation."
"Sensation is returning, but I’ve experienced numbness in the finger.
"Movement is improving, but given the depth of the cut to the bone, there’s concern about potential nerve damage, which we need to investigate."
Whyte had previously secured a high-profile rematch with Anthony Joshua, planned for a sold-out O2 Arena in August 2023.
However, he failed a VADA drug test, leading to the cancellation of the bout just before fight week, with Robert Helenius stepping in as a replacement.
Since then, Whyte has had only two fights: an untelevised victory over Christian Hammer in Ireland and a less impressive win against Ebenezer Tetteh that was broadcasted.
Due to Whyte’s injury, Joe Joyce is now set to face Filip Hrgovic as his next opponent.
