Dillian Whyte scolded fellow journeyman Derek Chisora for rejecting a $2 million offer to be the opponent for heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma on August 16th on DAZN PPV. Whyte (31-3, 21 KOs) was then offered to take the fight, and he readily accepted.
$2 Million Offer Turned Down
Dillian, 37, doesn’t understand why Chisora (36-13, 23 KOs) chose to turn down the fight offer because he’s been sitting around for five months since his last fight in February against Otto Wallin. He says the 41-year-old Chisora isn’t “getting any younger,” and is “70,000 years old.” Whyte believes that Chisora might not receive a similar $2 million offer when he does return to the ring.
Chisora likely felt that his marketability would have been hurt if he took the fight with the 20-year-old southpaw Itauma and was obliterated in one or two rounds. If he hangs around a little longer, he could be offered a fight that would pay similar money to be the opponent for someone like Daniel Dubois or Anthony Joshua, if they need a name guy that will sell in the UK.
“He said, ‘Why are you taking this fight?’ ‘Because I’m not scared. I’m in this game to fight,’” said Dillian Whyte to the Ring Magazine channel about a conversation he had with Derek Chisora. “He said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Bro, why am I going to take advice from you when I spanked you twice?’ I said, ‘Bro, I almost ended your life. Why am I going to take advice from you? It doesn’t make sense,’” continued Whyte about his discussion with fellow journeyman Chisora.”
Whyte Accepts Itauma Challenge
It’s understandable why Dillian chose to fight Itauma. He reportedly could make as much as $7 million from the fight after the PPV is tabulated. That would be nearly equal to the $7.4 million that Whyte got for his fight against former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in April 2022. Chisora may not have realized how much he could have ultimately made from the Itauma fight. However, if he still has hopes of being selected by Joshua or Dubois, you can’t blame him for turning up his nose at the $2 million offer.
“I said, ‘You can do what you want.’ How long has it been since his [Chisora] fight? [5 months]. He’s been waiting, waiting, weating. ‘What are you waiting for? You have to fight. We’re not getting [younger]. You’re 70,000 years old, bro. You say your slogan is war. Marvin Hagler’s slogan. He fought anyone. How can you compare to someone and be like someone, and then all of a sudden, you’re this bad man, and will fight anyone?” said Whyte about Chisora.
Chisora’s Financial Freedom
Derek Chisora is wealthy with a fortune conservatively estimated at $8.5 million. With that sizable bankroll, he’s not as needy as other fighters would be if they were offered to be the sacrificial lamb for Itauma on the August 16th card in Riyadh.
“‘Now, when there’s danger and strings attached to it [being offered a fight against Moses Itauma], ‘Ah, no, I don’t want to fight. Nah’. He said he got a $2 million offer. He might get less for his next fight,” said Whyte about the $2 million that Chisora was reportedly offered to fight Itauma, which he turned down.
Weighing Fight Marketability
Derek is seeing the big picture. He knows that a loss like the one he could suffer against Itauma would be so bad that he wouldn’t be able to get the nice paydays for future fights. In a way, it’s smart for him to have turned down the fight. Whyte could live to regret taking this fight against Moses if he’s blown out badly, and finds himself offered small purses in future fights.
Last Updated on 07/31/2025
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