Dillian Whyte vs Jermaine Franklin LIVE: Stream, latest updates and fight result tonight
Relive round-by-round updates as British heavyweight Whyte defeated American Franklin at Wembley Arena in London
Dillian Whyte was a majority-decision winner against Jermaine Franklin in a heavyweight main event at London’s Wembley Arena on Saturday tonight.
In April, just a matter of metres away from this evening’s venue, Whyte suffered a heartbreaking knockout loss to Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium, failing to dethrone the WBC champion in front of 94,000 fans. Here, Whyte, 34, looked to bounce back, as the Briton took on unbeaten American Franklin.
By the end of the evening, Franklin was no longer undefeated, but a weary Whyte had also failed to bounce back with the spring that he would have hoped for. Whyte was declared a 116-112 winner on two of the judges’ scorecards, while the other read 115-115. The Briton found early success with vicious hooks to the body of Franklin, but the 29-year-old did well to fire back each time Whyte seemed to be building momentum.
It made for a dramatic conclusion to the fight, with the winner apparently up in the air. Whyte landed a huge left hook to send Franklin tumbling onto the ropes in the final seconds of the last round, but still Franklin retaliated with focused shots. Ultimately, however, the American suffered a first professional defeat as Whyte’s hand was raised, setting up a potential rematch with Anthony Joshua, who was sat ringside.
Relive Whyte vs Franklin fight updates with our blog below.
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
Dillian Whyte def. Jermaine Franklin via majority decision (115-115, 116-112, 116-112).
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
It was a strange fight, one that ebbed and flowed from one fighter’s grasp into the other’s, and one that had slower and more engaging moments.
It certainly ended in memorable fashion!
We go to the judges’ scorecards...
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
Round 12
Final round! This one could be close if it goes to the judges’ scorecards...
Franklin slaps a left hook onto Whyte’s midriff. Whyte sneaks an uppercut through Franklin’s guard, before the American fires back with an extended combination.
Another uppercut is on-target for Whyte. A left hook connects for Franklin.
Both heavyweights look tired. A right overhand and left hook land for Whyte! Now Franklin retaliates energetically!
A HUGE left hook sends Franklin tumbling backwards onto the ropes, but he won’t go down! THE BUZZER SOUNDS!
WHAT A FINISH!
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
“Don’t look for the knockout, just score points,” McGirt tells Whyte. “Don’t do nothing stupid. If you hurt him, don’t go crazy.”
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
Round 11
Two rounds to go. Short hooks land for Franklin off both wings. Good head movement from Whyte to avoid further damage.
Franklin peppers Whyte’s guard with teasing punches, but he can’t get the Briton to open up.
A bit of grappling ensues, with both fighters leaning on each other. Franklin sparks back into life briefly with a series of straight shots.
Whyte reverses the momentum and has Franklin backed up to the ropes. The “Bodysnatcher” misses with his heaviest shots, though.
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
Round 10
Whyte needs to fight with a bit more urgency. He’s fighting behind his jab, per his coach’s advice, but he needs some heavier output, too.
He goes back to that hook to the body, burrowing one into Franklin’s ribs from the left. Now he forces back Franklin and lashes shots into the head of his opponent! This is better from the Briton.
Whyte has a second wind! He unfurls wide hooks onto Franklin!
Then, right on the buzzer, Whyte crashes a right overhand into the cheek of Franklin, sending an explosion of sweat through the air!
Franklin barks at Whyte, trying to let the Briton know that he’s still in this.
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
Round 9
Franklin takes the centre of the ring at the start of this round.
Whyte with jabs, Franklin with left hooks. The American switches up his target well, doubling up his hook to the head after going to the body.
Whyte then lands probably the best punch of the fight so far, a left hook to the jaw of Franklin, who takes it clean and somehow barely reacts!
A right cross gets through for Franklin late in the round, and Whyte seems to stumble! He grabs Franklin at once to halt the American’s chances of getting meaningful shots off, but the frame ends with Franklin very much on top!
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
Round 8
Whyte’s new trainer Buddy McGirt asks his fighter to get back to his jab. “Don’t worry about the right hand, it’ll come.”
Whyte adheres to his coach’s advice, pressing forward but in measured fashion. Franklin seizes the opportunity to increase his own output, however, and Whyte momentarily seems fazed by the shots coming his way.
Lovely left hook to the body from Franklin. Whyte corners the American, who comes back with a solid uppercut to the body and then a hook to the head!
Franklin now fights his way out of the corner, but Whyte uses his jab to stunt the American’s movement somewhat.
The round ends with a back-and-forth spell!
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
Round 7
Into the second half of this fight.
A short left hook connects for Franklin. Then Whyte comes forward, but his uppercut is off-target.
A clean combination lands for Franklin! Hooks to the head, but Whyte doesn’t seem too troubled...
This time Whyte scores with his uppercut, but Franklin fires right back with a hook!
Now Whyte turns up the pressure, backing up the American and unleashing shots! Franklin with a sharp counter uppercut, though, with Whyte ducking straight into the punch!
Whyte vs Franklin LIVE
Round 6
Whyte closes down Franklin then rolls into a one-two to the body.
It’s been mostly one-way traffic in this round, but Franklin seems to get a second wind with a minute left in the frame.
Whyte gets back behind his jab, then misses with a wild overhand right! Franklin almost seems to hurt Whyte with a hook, but the Briton laughs it off!
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