Dillian Whyte claimed a majority decision victory over Jermaine Franklin in another high-profile gala in London the same evening, this time at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
Shortly after John Ryder’s win over Zach Parker at the O2 Arena, two judges scored Whyte 116-112, while the other was tied.
Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs) bounced back after losing to Tyson Fury with the WBC heavyweight title on the line. His win today opens the door for a rematch against Anthony Joshua, who was in the crowd. He had lost by K.-O. technique against Joshua in 2015.
Whyte wasn’t the most offensive or consistent throughout the fight, but he saved some of his best shots for last, including a big right hook followed by a left in round ten.
The eleventh round was very close with good shots from both sides, then in the last Franklin did his best to curry favor with the judges but was driven back with a powerful right. Franklin, who had won his last 21 fights, finally sent his rival to the wires in the closing seconds, but it was too little too late.
